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Postmaster, Please return Undeliverable labels to: Country Life in BC 36 Dale Road Enderby, BC V0E 1V4CANADA POSTES POST CANADA Postage paid Port payé Publications Mail Post-Publications 40012122Vol. 110 No.9The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915 SEPTEMBER 2024 | Vol. 110 No. 9FRUIT Co-op closure leaves growers in the lurch 7 POLITICS Ag advisory committee in jeopardy 13 CO-OPS Gulf Island entrepreneurs eye food security 31 PETER MITHAM KELOWNA – Those owed money by BC Tree Fruits Co-op and Growers Supply Co. represent a cross-section of the orchard industry, revealing the depth of the co-op’s economic impact. Beyond CIBC, Fillmore Construction Management Inc. and the nine other secured creditors who come first in priority for repayment, the co-op owes $4.8 million to 289 growers. Virtually all orchards supplying the co-op are impacted, and the majority are small producers. The co-op’s 10 largest debts to growers account for less than $1.5 million, leaving $3.3 million in debts under $100,000. Fifty growers are owed amounts between $20,000 and $100,000, totalling an aggregate of nearly $2.1 million. But a whopping 190 growers – two-thirds of farms – are owed less than $10,000, including well-known names such as Jealous Fruits and the Geens, David and Melissa Dobernigg and Hank Markgraf. There are also 82 suppliers among the unsecured creditors. The largest is packaging supplier Crown Corrugated Co. ($272,706) and trucking company AMS Ventures Ltd. ($159,964). Growers Supply Co. owes $5.8 million to 114 entities, including the co-op. NM Bartlett, a provider of crop protection products, is Growers Supply’s largest creditor, at $2.7 million, followed by BC Tree Fruits at $385,369. The bins are empty at BC Tree Fruits Co-operative, the Okanagan's largest packinghouse with a history stretching back to the Dirty '30s. A new round of nancial pressures prompted the co-op to shut its doors July 26, leaving growers scrambling to nd homes for their fruit. The roots of the troubles run deep, as several stories in this issue explain. | MYRNA STARK LEADERCreditors a cross-section of industryPETER MITHAM KELOWNA – BC Tree Fruits Co-op will be sold as part of a restructuring process overseen by the courts. “The Petitioners intend to … commence a sale and investment solicitation process (“SISP”) that leads to a transaction which will provide for the full repayment to CIBC of amounts owing … and to allow the Petitioners to emerge as a better capitalized operation,” interim CEO and chief nancial ocer Doug Pankiw said in documents supporting an August 12 application to BC Supreme Court for protection from creditors under the Companies’ Creditors Bottom of the binGrower dissatisfaction uRooted in your community® since 1973www.tlhort.com1-800-661-4559SeedPlant NutritionCrop ProtectionSuppliesServiceBC Tree Fruits for saleDebts force closure
2 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCArrangement Act (CCAA). The restructuring is part of eorts to ensure an orderly dissolution of the 88-year-old co-op, whose board made the decision July 25 to stop receiving fruit eective July 26 and close operations. The decision included both the co-op’s fruit packing operations as well as Growers Supply Co. Ltd., resulting in 172 sta losing their jobs immediately with a further 21 facing termination following the decommissioning of facilities. Alvarez & Marsal Canada Inc. has been appointed as monitor to oversee the aairs of the co-op while it remains under creditor protection. The application to BC Supreme Court on August 12 came as the co-op struggled with cash ow issues and low estimates from growers of apple deliveries this season. Court documents indicate that the co-op had defaulted on $51.7 million in debt to its lender, CIBC, in addition to having $43 million worth of liabilities on its balance sheet as of May 31, 2023. Together, the amounts outstripped the co-op’s $92.4 million in assets. Court documents indicate that the co-op had $55.7 million in revenue in 2023, down from $67.5 million in 2021. Grower estimates of deliveries from the 2024 harvest indicated a 50% drop in apple volumes this season, making it impossible to conclude sales contracts. “With rising carrying and debt costs from delayed property sales and signicantly reduced fruit volumes, BCTFC is no longer able to meet its overhead requirements, pay its growers or other creditors,” the co-op said in requesting creditor protection. Overhead is signicant; court documents led August 22 indicate that the co-op would need $1.2 million a month to nance operations during the 2024 harvest, on top of operating expenses funded out of a $4,050,000 interim nancing facility that ends November 30, by which time the co-op is expected to be sold. Court documents indicate that the co-op has 176 voting members representing 290 grower families. Both court documents and a public statement regarding the move to seek creditor protection agged “grower discord,” particularly regarding the co-op’s eorts to stabilize its operations in recent years, as a key factor in its demise. Packinghouse merger BC Tree Fruits became the province’s largest fruit packing co-op in 2008 following a merger of Kelowna’s BC Fruit Packers, the Okanagan Similkameen Cooperative Growers Association in Oliver, Sun Fresh Cooperative Growers in Naramata, and Okanagan North Growers Cooperative in Wineld. Originally operating as the Okanagan Tree Fruit Co-op, a rebranding in 2013 saw it adopt the BC Tree Fruits name from the entity that had been providing the co-ops with marketing services since 1936. The move had long been advocated by the BC Fruit Growers Association, where co-op growers were required to be members. The late Joe Sardinha, then BCFGA president, said at the time that the merger was needed to stabilize an industry that had fallen from 11,500 acres of apples and pears in 2004 to 9,700 acres at the time of the merger. But the co-op cycled through four CEOs in its rst 10 years before securing food industry veteran and restructuring specialist Warren Saranchan in fall 2019. Saranchan’s arrival was followed by a government-funded governance study that recommended various changes at the co-op with the goal of stabilizing the business. While headway was made, production kept falling, with apple and pear acreage dropping to less than 7,800 last year. Growing dissatisfaction with the co-op’s operations had also pushed larger growers to set up their own packing operations. Saranchan stepped down as CEO last fall, taking a personal leave after being the public face of the co-op’s 2022 decision to abandon plans for a proposed state-of-the-art facility on Old Vernon Road in Kelowna in favour of upgrading and expanding the co-op’s existing facility in Oliver. The decision stoked grower discontent, with two special general meetings called to challenge the co-op’s u Grower dissatisfaction fueled the co-op's demisedecision-making process. Saranchan was not replaced, with Pankiw serving as interim CEO instead, a sign in retrospect that the co-op was not planning for the future. Despite having nanced the 2020 governance study and won the right to appoint two members to the co-op’s board, the province appears to have been taken by surprise by the board’s decision. It’s also content to let the co-op collapse. “The BC government provided a range of support to the co-op in recent years in recognition of the importance of the services it oered growers, but it is a private entity governed by its members,” BC agriculture minister Pam Alexis said in a statement to Country Life in BC. “The co-op’s board of directors made the decision to apply for creditor protection and is now subject to a process overseen by the courts.” During a press conference in Penticton on August 13, Premier David Eby said the province would be closely watching the court-ordered process with an eye to stepping in to protect infrastructure critical to the industry’s survival. However, he stopped short of committing provincial funds to buy assets on behalf of the industry. Instead, the province announced $5 million for a Tree Fruit Climate Resiliency program to help orchardists buy equipment and pursue projects that were not eligible under previous programs. 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The province says that a majority of growers have found a home for this year’s fruit, but the long-term future for the sector is unclear. While approximately 40 independent packinghouses have created a more competitive landscape for growers, collaboration will continue to be dicult. A marketing commission, an initiative rst proposed by the New Tree Fruit Varieties Development Council and now spearheaded by the BC Fruit Growers Association, is on hold. A great deal depends on who buys the co-op and its assets, and how they’ll be operated. “We cannot aord to lose this tremendous facility,” said Delta South MLA Ian Paton, agriculture critic for the Opposition BC United. “Between myself and some growers, we’ve reached out to a major greenhouse operator [and] Pattison Group, thinking maybe they’d be interested in taking over the facility.” There’s been no response, leaving growers who survive this season unsure what to expect next year. “This is like telling 40% of dairy farmers in the Fraser Valley, ‘Nobody wants to take your milk,’” he said. “It’s a shocking situation if you’re a small-scale apple grower. You’ve got nowhere to take your apples.” Whoops! In our July 2024 story Telkwa producers step up to provide slaughter services, page 21, our source said processing under a Farmgate Plus licence in the Agricultural Land Reserve was limited to 10,000 lbs/year. Farmgate Plus slaughter facilities can process 25,000 pounds of liveweight animals regardless of location, but within the ALR, 50% must be raised on site.
Ambrosia godparents Sally and Wilfrid Mennell, Lake Country grower Mike Mitchell and New Tree Fruit Varieties Development Council chair Bruce Currie gather at the council’s nal annual meeting on July 25. | TOM WALKERCOUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 3TOM WALKER SUMMERLAND – The nal annual meeting of the New Tree Fruit Varieties Development Council (NTFVDC) on July 25 was a modest aair, indicative of the approach the council has taken over the last 23 years. A small organization with a big punch, the council was initially formed in 2001 with a mandate to support the Ambrosia apple variety through promotions, research and encouraging quality production. “We’ve managed to do a lot with a relatively modest budget,” notes NTFVDC chair Bruce Currie. The key to the council’s success has been its ability to leverage levies collected on Ambrosia sales, notes Currie. “When you are applying for project support, you must have the money to put up front,” he explains. “We’ve had projects that received 50% funding, a number at 75% and even some at 90%. That free money is a pretty good return on investment.” Between 2002 and 2023, NTFVDC collected a total of $10.3 million in levies that helped it secure more than $2.6 million in government grants. “In an average year we would have about a $500,000 budget,” council administrator Jim Campbell explains. Some initial council money was put up by Wilfrid and Sally Mennell, the Cawston apple growers whose orchard hosted the chance seedling now known as Ambrosia. Those funds, and the modest amounts from the rst group of growers paying a levy of 2.5 cents a pound, were used to develop a market for the new apple. “We did a lot of grassroots promotion, which was very important in the beginning,” says Campbell. “We took the apple to home shows, hockey and curling rinks and even the Agribition in Saskatchewan so people could have a taste, and in some cases buy a box.” That worked well when volumes were small, but as Ambrosia growers started to see good returns, they planted more than the fall fresh market could absorb. “It was a great apple if you could eat it fresh right away,” says Wilfrid Mennell. “But you had to have it sold by December because we didn’t know how to store it properly.” Research into long-term storage techniques became a focus and went hand-in-hand with best growing practices for fruit quality and understanding optimal harvest timing. “We developed and printed the rst colour charts to help growers know when to harvest back in 2008,” says Campbell. “And now the apple can be held in controlled atmosphere storage right through to June.” As Ambrosia acreage increased and the national market matured, Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC and AgriMarketing funds were sourced to help expand foreign markets, supporting attendance at Asia Fruit Logistica, for example. The council also supported eld service to help growers get the optimum performance from their trees. Campbell says Costco has long been a supporter of the brand. “Costco only sells six apple varieties across the country,” he notes. “Ambrosia has consistently been between No. 2 to 4 in popularity and recently has been No. 1 in Western Canada.” While the council is winding down, its remaining assets – about $300,000 – will be transferred to the BC Fruit Growers Association, which will use them to fund several projects under a letter of understanding with the council. Sandher Fruit Packers and Consolidated Fruit Packers will receive funds for domestic promotion, including research into the potential for sliced Ambrosia sales. Summerland Research and Development Centre researcher Hao Xu will also receive funding to support her multiyear study on crop load management. Ambrosia growers are the only orchardists who have paid a levy in BC, and Campbell says it’s been a key factor in the variety’s success “I believe that it has been worth it,” he says. “The work of the council has been an example of what can be achieved with pooling industry funds.” Ambrosia council winds down Work continues through BCFGAorganicfeeds@gmail.comPremium Feeds for Poultry, Hogs, and Dairy Cowscertified by Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd. CANADIAN ORGANIC FEEDSYour elds, our passionThe basis of a good diet starts with high-quality grass. Vredo overseeders allow you to get the most out of your grassland: t"UMFBTUNPSFHSBTTZJFMEt6QUPHFSNJOBUJPOSBUFt6QUPFWFOEJTUSJCVUJPOt)JHIFSOFUQSPöUQFSBDSFWe are a household name in the agricultural sector worldwide. An investment for life. Contact:sales@klopequipment.com58251 Laidlaw Rd, Hope, BC The technique of overseeding
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Publication Mail Agreement: 0399159 . GST Reg. No. 86878 7375 . Subscriptions: $2/issue . $18.90/year . $33.60/2 years . $37.80/3 years incl GSTThe agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915 Vol.110 No. 9 . SEPTEMBER 2024Published monthly by Country Life 2000 Ltd. www.countrylifeinbc.comThere is something to be said for the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) principle. We might embrace it immediately by reducing it to plain KIS (Keep It Simple) or, even better, SS (Seek Simplicity), or… let’s just leave it at that. Many things are complicated, at least to human understanding, by their nature. As a species we are baed by what we don’t understand. The 17th-century British polymath Isaac Newton made discoveries in complex mathematics, physics and astronomy that changed human understanding of the natural world. Yet he left us with this uncomplicated observation of simplicity: “Nature is pleased with simplicity. And nature is no dummy.” By this we might conclude that simplicity is the inherent state of nature, and it is the lack of human understanding that complicates it for us. An a-ha moment under an apple tree led Newton to write the universal law of gravity and explain the force that kept the moon in the sky and the planets in orbit, and subsequently, the three laws of all motion. Grappling with complicated questions is the crux of the research and discovery, which in turn allows us to understand, utilize and cope with nature. Which leads us back to the KISS principle. The essence of human nature includes the ability to reason, learn, communicate and solve problems. This allows us to manipulate and harness our environment, and ultimately cope with the changes. It is an exponential process. The more we learn and communicate, the more we can manipulate and change the environment, and the more we do that, the more we have to cope with. It is increasingly complicated. At one time, a keen sense of danger, a relatively dry and protected place to gather your family to sleep, and a sharp stick or a rock to kill something close by to eat were the keys to survival. Not easy, but not complicated. Simple, even. And now? Up before dawn, wake up the kids, navigate the tween’s wardrobe anxiety while you try to explain why the $2,500 Taylor Swift tickets are out of the question. Breakfast at the drive-thru on the way to school. Trac grid-locked on the way to work. Worry about the mortgage rate. Worry about property taxes. Worry about grocery prices. Worry about the electricity bill. Wonder why the car is over-heating again. Glance at your tness app while the trac is stopped to see if your blood pressure is still too high. Wonder how much it will cost to get the dog xed. Wonder who is commenting on your Facebook page. Worry that Facebook is passé. Fret about the person who has been stealing Amazon packages in your neighbourhood. Fiddle with the tuning buttons for the radio trying to nd some music that doesn’t make you crazy. Realize the drive-thru blob of breakfast hash browns has settled like a stone in your stomach. Easier, perhaps, but certainly not simple. Complicated even, and getting more so all the time. Nature is pleased with simplicity. And nature is no dummy. I’m with Sir Isaac on this one. Surely nature meant us to have simpler lives, with time for reection and contemplation of nature itself. As one who has been around long enough to remember times when things were much simpler, I ascribe wholeheartedly to the KISS principle. It is a guiding principle on our farm. The young man who works here was encouraged from his rst day to employ it and speak up if he spotted anything promising. It is good business and a good way of being. The two clocks in my house are a case in point: one sits on a bedside stand and the other hangs on the dining room wall. The bedside model is all new with all the bells and whistles, literally. It is covered with tiny, closely spaced buttons and comes with a sheet of instructions as big as a bath towel. Some of the buttons have hieroglyphics on them. I’m still at a loss to understand what the one that looks like two clams and a tuba is for. Any random button contacts or interruption in its power supply resets everything to blink mode and another round of programming, often with unintended consequences. Complicated and frustrating. The other has been marking time in Ann’s family for the past 155 years. It has no buttons, bells or whistles at all. I supply the power with a metal key every Sunday evening. There is a thumbscrew adjustment on the pendulum and the time can be set by turning the hands. It marks o the seconds tick by tock. Simple, and absolutely pleasing to my nature. Bob Collins raises beef cattle and grows produce on his farm in the Alberni Valley. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.4 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCCore decisionsThe Back 40 BOB COLLINSPublisher Cathy Glover 604-328-3814 . publisher@countrylifeinbc.com Associate Editor Peter Mitham news@countrylifeinbc.com Advertising Sales & Marketing Cathy Glover sales@countrylifeinbc.com Production Designer Tina Rezansoff Phew, PW!It’s about time things were simple againNext month will mark a year since Hamas militants attacked Israel. The issue is a world away from country life in BC, but the regional National Farmers Union was among the groups calling for a ceasere earlier this year as the humanitarian crisis, including food insecurity, deepened. More recently, concerns about the arms supporting the conict have made headlines, with many saying governments are supporting war crimes. One might well ask why governments are willing to arm a conict that’s created an aggressive humanitarian crisis while placing limits on the arms they’re giving Ukraine to ght aggression. Government choices on the world stage have a parallel closer to home. Premier David Eby and his government have come under re for their response to the sudden closure of the BC Tree Fruits Cooperative on the eve of harvest. The government has taken the kind of hands-o approach Eby disingenuously says BC United endorses, while BC United has urged government intervention in the process on behalf of growers – exactly what Eby says government plans to do, while stopping short of saying it will do anything other than provide support to growers impacted by the closure. Oh, and provide climate resiliency funding. The immortal words of Greta Thunberg come to mind: “’Build back better,’ blah blah blah. ‘Green economy,’ blah blah blah.” The province came up with $25 million this spring as part of its clean industry blueprint to help Vitalus Nutrition Inc. expand its dairy plant in Abbotsford. But when it comes to BC Tree Fruits, which packs fruit world-renowned for being low-input thanks to the internationally acclaimed Sterile Insect Release program and grower initiatives, the purse is closed. Moreover, the province was apparently blindsided by the co-op’s failure despite having two appointees on the board and receiving a heads-up on management concerns from growers themselves two years ago. The province has taken the industry’s leaders to task on several occasions for ineective leadership, with the province’s industry stabilization initiative recommending a new tree fruit agency “be established to provide leadership, governance and planning for the industry.” But the province has hardly done much better. While nancial support is welcome, it’s only useful if there are farmers and farm organizations to receive it. With the province hedging on concrete action to save the industry’s critical infrastructure, co-op growers may say the support is too little, too late. Their loss is the province’s loss. While industry divisions may have ultimately felled BC Tree Fruits, the province also needs to answer for its fruitless eorts to stabilize the industry.
BC Tree Fruits’ insolvency may raise questions about its co-operative business structure: are co-ops an outdated concept? Aspirational rather than practical? Only manageable in certain contexts or below a certain size? Not so: there is evidence that co-op structures hold promise for BC agriculture. The BC Co-operative Association denes a co-op as a structure that provides services to a group of owner members. Co-ops can be non-prot, charitable or for-prot (a majority of Canadian co-ops are for-prot). They can share prots with their members through patronage returns (dividends). Each member has one vote in general meetings and board elections. There are several types of co-ops: some provide consumer services (Otter Co-op, for example), others nancial services (Vancity) and some provide services to producers of various kinds. In 2022, the BC government listed 700 co-ops and credit unions in BC, of which Vancity, Coast Capital and BC Tree Fruits were among the largest. Other co-ops in BC agriculture (not necessarily based here) are Agropur, Ocean Spray and United Flower Growers. Agrologist and farmer Chris Bodnar lives and works at Glen Valley Organic Farm, a co-op set up in 1998 as a not-for-prot land trust with a mission to steward farmland. The 50-acre farm is jointly When co-ops fail, don’t blame the conceptPoorly understood and potentially useful, co-ops are worth a closer lookCOUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 5owned by 50 shareholders. Two businesses located on the farm operate a Community Shared Agriculture program delivering seasonal organic vegetables and fruits to 500 subscriber households. Chris is a partner in Close to Home Organics, with a full-time equivalent sta of four and annual revenue of about $300,000. From his own experience and research, Bodnar sees signicant untapped potential for co-ops in BC agriculture. “In other parts of the world, co-ops are foundational to agriculture,” he says. He has visited the Emilia Romagna region in Italy where up to 99% of production is coordinated by co-ops, most with a strong focus on specic brands. Milk producers, for instance, identify themselves as producers of Parmesan cheese. Bodnar believes co-ops can help address some key industry issues such as value-added processing, insurance services and farmer retirement. “BC has almost no value-added processing,” he points out. “Farmers could benet if they could own a piece of the value chain.” Furthermore, a processing plant and property owned by a co-op would not be Viewpoint KATHLEEN GIBSONconstrained by the Agricultural Land Commission’s requirement to service 50% of a single owner’s production. Producer retirement and succession can also be addressed by co-ops. Bodnar’s grandparents were members of Federated Co-op, which held back some of their dividends until they turned 65, then returned their equity to them in the form of a pension. Co-ops, says Bodnar, “are practical, not political. You can see co-ops with progressive approaches at work in traditionally conservative communities. They are about community self-suciency.” Co-op lawyer Bill Oemichen agrees. He lives and works in Wisconsin, in the US Upper Midwest where co-op culture is deep-rooted and strong. Children learn about co-ops as early as grade school. Oemichen notes that after the 2008 nancial crisis, the US Federal Reserve identied the Upper Midwest as the most economically resilient part of the country: he credits this to its co-op culture. Oemichen has spent 37 years in, and working with, co-ops. What makes a group likely to succeed with a co-op structure? “They have to be passionate about their service and have gured out a sustainable business plan before deciding on governance,” he says. His top four determinants for co-op success or failure are: an appropriate legal framework around tax and lending support; lenders who understand co-ops; federal and provincial regulations that support (or at least don’t hinder) co-op businesses; and last but not least, a membership fully engaged and committed to the co-op’s mission. Large size need not undo a co-op, says Oemichen. In the US, Farm Credit is a co-op. It is the largest farm lender (and sixth largest bank) in the US: “Nearly US$500 billion in assets are owned by 500,000 farmers and ranchers across the United States; 64 local Farm Credit associations across the country are distributing record amounts of patronage to the member-owners in 2024,” he states. To keep such a large membership engaged, Farm Credit oers compulsory education for directors; regular events and an annual conference for members; education for young producers; and specic nancial supports for small and beginning farmers who have no, or little, capital. On the latter program, the default rate is less than 1%. And, there is a general rule that “if a member-owner is unhappy, the CEO will return their call.” In practice, this greatly reduces the number of complaints that fester or spread. From their respective vantage points, Bodnar and Oemichen believe BC could benet from a greater investment in co-ops. An obvious question is why haven’t we done it already? Part of the answer is a general lack of literacy about how co-ops work, even the ones we may belong to. In Canada, neither grade nor business schools teach about co-ops, and only two universities focus on them. In addition to knowledge, more exibility is needed in law and nance: for example, BC’s securities laws are more restrictive than in the US, where co-ops can oer securities without restrictions. Given examples from other jurisdictions and the potential benets for BC agriculture – opportunities for farmers to increase their leverage in the value chain, collaborate on shared services, support retirement and more – it seems that co-ops, rather than having had their day, could have a promising future. BC Tree Fruits’ misfortune is a prompt to give co-ops a closer look. Kathleen Gibson lives and grows food in Lekwungen territory/Victoria, BC. 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6 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCIf you’re in the agriculture and food industry, you can access online tools to support your mental health. And find links to local helplines if you need to talk. Learn more at fcc.ca/WellnessWhen challenges seem overwhelming, there’s helpScan to learn more
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 7BC Tree Fruits sold $66 million in assets in recent years in the quest to stabilize its business. | MYRNA STARK LEADERMatsqui Ag-Repair Abbotsford, BCNorth Valley EquipmentArmstrong, BCNorthline Equipment Pouce Coupe, BCHuber Equipment Prince George, BCSmithers, BCVisit your local KUHN Hay & Forage dealer today!Invest in Quality®www.kuhn.comGF 1003 & 1003 T SERIES | Rotary Tedders25'7" – 56'5" working widths • mounted & trailed models FAST, UNIFORM CROP DRYING AND DISTRIBUTIONOptiTedd® rotors promote completecrop inversion Easily adjust rotor pitch angle to meet any crop or 昀eld condition Exclusive DigiDrive® couplers provide low maintenance and long life Articulated design for excellentground following UP TO $1,500 OFFNEW KUHN TEDDERSCONTACT YOUR LOCAL DEALER:Offer ends: October 15, 2024LANGLEY CHILLIWACK CHEMAINUS KELOWNA rollinsmachinery.com 1-800-665-9060USED TRACTORS NH WORKMASTER 105 cab, SL loader, 250 hours, 2021 (U32946)......... 80,000 NH T5070 cab, loader, no bucket, 6,335 hours, 2012 (CNS830)............... 68,000 NEW HOLLAND T3.60F ROPS, 1,200 hours, 2021 ..................................... 39,000 NEW HOLLAND TN60SA super steer, turf tires, 2004 (U40235) ............. 20,000 FORD 7740 cab, 2WD, one owner, 11,300 hrs, new tires, 1992 (U33681). 19,500 FORD 1200, SL ldr, weight block, blade, new turf tires, 1982 (CNS831) ...... 12,500 QUALITY USED EQUIPMENT MCHALE FUSION Vario baler-wrapper, 14,000 bales, spare belt (U32135) CALL POETTINGER NOVACAT 301 + A9 triple DMC, rubber roll (U33674, U33675) ........................................................................................... 79,500 NH FP240 29P grass, 3PN corn, crop proc [CNS786] ............................. 47,500 SUPREME 500T mixer wagon, good shape, 2017 (U33686)..................... 45,000 NH BC5070 small square baler, 2019, like new [U33470]......................... 42,000 VERMEER TM1400 mower, 18’, 2015 (U33591) .......................................... 37,800 CLAAS VOLTO 1320 T tedder (U33680) ...................................................... 33,000 TOM WALKER OLIVER – On July 3, Osoyoos cherry grower Ranjit Dhillon delivered the last of his cherries to the BC Tree Fruits Co-op in Oliver. “We were really optimistic; it was our best year yet,” Dhillon says. “We did not suer any winter damage; we had a full crop. We shipped 108,800 lbs of cherries total.” Three weeks later, on July 26, the co-op told Dhillon and other growers it was shutting down, leaving the fate of his fruit as well as compensation in doubt. Cherries are perishable and although Dhillon knows that his fruit was processed, packed and sold, he doesn’t know if he’ll get paid the $220,119 court documents indicate is owing to him. Costs to manage the crop, including fuel, sprays, pruning and picking have cost him around $50,000. “I have a packout slip from the co-op, but I have not been paid and I really don’t know if I will ever be paid,” he says, noting he feels “hopeless.” The co-op has told growers that CIBC, the largest of the co-op’s 11 secured creditors, will be paid rst, then other creditors and nally the co-op’s member growers. Court lings indicate growers were owed $4.8 million as of August 13. “That doesn’t seem right,” says Dhillon. “The growers who grew the fruit, they should be paid rst. The banks are already rich.” Dhillon’s story is just one of many that are the result of the closure of the largest tree fruit packinghouse in the province. The shuttering didn’t surprise anyone involved in the industry, but it is a story of many parts and no one solution. It’s hard to say which came rst -- lower prices and returns for members leading to a lower quality of fruit, or lower quality fruit leading to poor returns. The average pool return for growers has been dropping steadily since 2018, with gures between 2019 to 2023 ranging from a high of 20.97 cents a pound to a low of 13.23 cents a pound. With an average cost of production across the industry of around 35 cents a pound, those returns are hardly enough to sustain growers. With less money coming in and the cost of inputs going up, some growers cut back on sprays and thinning routines and that in turn led to a cycle of poorer quality fruit. While co-op rules allow for poor quality fruit to be turned away, it seldom happened. The co-op eectively became the buyer of last resort for growers. Heat events over the last several years have also impacted apple quality. Apple trees do not thrive at temperatures above 35° C. Sunburn damage to fruit increases, apples fail to colour up and the fruit is more susceptible to decay in long-term storage. Heat stress causes photosynthesis to shut down, leading to reduced yields of smaller, poor quality fruit. While apples do better than other tree fruits in the severe cold, they were also impacted by the extreme cold events in December 2022 and January 2024. Even the best growers can’t escape Mother Nature. Blocks that used to produce 60 bins an acre are now only yielding 40, adding to the hard math growers are facing. Ambrosia apples have been a success story for the BC industry, and acreage has grown rapidly in the last 10 years, helped by successful replant programs and the expiry in 2017 of the 20-year patent that limited production. A marketing plan to increase domestic consumption and expand foreign markets for the variety was recommended by the province’s three-year-old tree fruit stabilization initiative, but none has materialized. Poor returns led a number of the co-op’s top growers to transfer their business to the dozens of independent packinghouses that were cropping up. The past four years have seen co-op membership drop from 400 Co-op closure leaves growers in the lurchBusiness failure had many causes over many yearsPath forward u
8 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Path forward is unclearThe AccuMixTM model AMX1000S Self Loading Self Propelled Feed Mixer allows one operator to perform all cattle feeding with a single machine, without leaving the seat. It is the only North American designed and manufactured machine of its kind.TOUGH.RELIABLE.ACCURATE.Cab With A View! The spacious cab offers many standard features such as air ride, heated seats and heated front windshield - just to name a few.All that with an amazing view!Load QuicklyLoad your feed quickly and ef昀ciently into the tub. The self-loading arm option allows for a single operator to do all the feeding with one machine.Controls Touchscreen display and ergonomic joystick allows the operator to easily control the functions of the machine. Engine The Cummins B6.7 six cylinder diesel engine delivers 310 HP, offering the highest torque in the industry. Sliding rear engine cover provides quick and easy hassle-free access for service.Armstrong, BC250-546-3033Chilliwack, BC604-792-1301Proudly supported by:growers representing about 55% of the industry and 40% of the volume to just 176 voting members. The departure of those growers eroded the average return to all members, as less top-quality fruit was being sold at a higher price and less fruit overall to cover operating costs. Some member growers have also practiced high-grading, taking high-quality fruit, either from their rst pick or bins from a more productive part of their orchard, and selling it directly to markets in the Lower Mainland. While limited independent sales were allowed in growers’ contracts, the co-op wasn’t strict about enforcement. Poor quality is a losing proposition for any business, and particularly one dealing in perishable products. A small apple with a blemish must still be run through the line, scanned by the optical sorter and graded, but the system will handle a larger volume to ll a three-pound bag than if top-quality fruit was being processed. While growers were charged a penalty for cull fruit, it fell short of the overhead costs incurred by less productive equipment, not to mention the cost of disposing of poor-quality fruit. The cash ow issues were set to intensify this year, as poor weather eliminated the peaches and nectarines that generate early-season revenue. A signicant drop in the cherry crop put a further damper on cash ows. But the nal nail in the co-op’s con came when a number of growers withheld estimates for the volume of apples they expected to deliver. Without reliable estimates of what the co-op could expect to market, it made the only reasonable decision based on the information it had and opted to shut down. Ironically, the co-op’s failure came down to a lack of co-operation. A north-south split, highlighted by opposition to the co-op’s decision to consolidate packing operations in Oliver, is the most obvious. Many growers in the North Okanagan, where the majority of apple acreage lies, objected to the move despite the business case that exists for it. Cultural and religious divisions among Indo-Canadian growers have also eroded the co-operative spirit, animating discussions at board meetings. A provincially funded governance study in 2020 concluded, “The board and membership is factionalized, often driven by personal agendas rather than business decisions.” The divisions played out openly in two special general meetings members forced in November 2022 and February 2024. While the meetings failed to unseat the elected board, they eroded condence in a business that has seen its revenues drop from $165 million in 2008 to less than $56 million today. The path forward for growers is unclear. The province says a majority of co-op members have found alternative packing houses for this fall’s harvest. But nding enough storage space – particularly controlled atmosphere storage – to replace the large facilities the co-op operated will be dicult. Packers are currently contracting with packinghouses across the border in Washington for the space they need. While the province has pledged to protect critical infrastructure, it has stopped short of saying it will buy assets on behalf of growers. Much depends on how the court-ordered restructuring process plays out. The co-op’s demise is a major blow to the industry, but corporate bail-outs are a thing of the past. The replant program the government launched as part of a historic investment in food security last year is of little use if growers have nowhere to sell their crop. But if there’s any good news in the co-op’s demise, it’s that the industry as a whole is far from dead. Many growers continue to operate successful businesses and grow top-quality fruit. Just like a fruitful tree, the co-op’s demise may be the pruning the industry needs. Top quality fruit can command top prices but pooling diluted grower returns. | MYRNA STARK LEADER
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 9Dairy industry revamps WMP initiativeCollaboration, not transformation on the booksDairy cattle were enjoying the sun as the new dairy year began in August, in advance of dairy farmers receiving a 2% increase to their daily quota effective September 1. | MYRNA STARK LEADERPETER MITHAM BURNABY – Pushback from regulators has put the brakes on the transformation of the Western Milk Pool (WMP) into a formal entity representing dairy producers across Western Canada. “As a result of supervisory board feedback … the focus moving forward will be on collaboration between WMP organizations rather than transformation,” a July 24 letter from the BC Farm Industry Review Board (FIRB), which oversees marketing boards and commissions in BC, stated in summarizing a July 16 meeting with BC Milk Marketing Board representatives. The shift has led to a dismantling of the leadership team overseeing the shift to a new governance model. All sta, including WMP’s Alberta-based CEO Nolan Berg, are now reporting to, employed by and compensated via their respective provincial milk boards. Development of a strategic plan to guide WMP’s future endeavours is also on hold. WMP operated as an umbrella group for the ve Western Canada dairy groups, including BC Milk and the BC Dairy Association, since 1997. But in October 2022, the ve groups approved what they described as “a new modernized governance model for working together” that promised to align their resources and expertise within a single organization operating within the legislative framework governing each province’s marketing boards. A new nine-member board with three representatives from BC was convened in April 2023 as part of the transition, while the BC Milk Marketing Board hired Leah Sheeld as an “executive director” serving as sta liaison between the BC associations and WMP’s board. This raised red ags for FIRB, which was concerned that the distinction between the marketing board’s regulatory role and BC Dairy’s advocacy on behalf of producers could become blurred by the sharing of resources between the two organizations within the new WMP structure. “The duciary duty owed to both organizations makes it impossible for a reasonably informed member of the public to determine whether the executive director is making decisions or providing advice with a view to beneting the industry interests represented by [BC Dairy], or in furtherance of sound marketing policy in the public interest for [BC Milk],” FIRB noted. FIRB directed the two BC dairy organizations to pause their integration eorts and answer 15 questions regarding the degree of their integration and work towards a Western Milk Board (the name given to the WMP under the new governance model, highlighting ambitions for it to be a regional entity coordinating activities of the four milk marketing boards in Western Canada). BC Milk and BC Dairy conrmed on July 16 that they have ceased their integration eorts in favour of a “collaborative” relationship but FIRB has requested more details regarding the composition, governance and role of the Western Milk Board. Separately from FIRB’s questions, the Alberta Agricultural Products Marketing Council (APMC), expressed a desire to ensure “the regulatory and duciary responsibilities of Alberta Milk continue to be upheld” within WMP’s emerging governance structure. APMC general manager • Increase milk production• Increase heat detection• Reduce hoof & leg injuries• Reduce cull rates1.877.966.3546www.agritraction.com | CHILLIWACK, BCJake Kotowich said that a letter to the Alberta Milk Marketing Board urged caution prior to signing any memorandum related to the WMP transformation initiative. Its concerns echoed those of BC FIRB with respect to issues such as the delegation of authority to third parties and the lack of a formal cost-sharing agreement between the member boards of the planned Western Milk Board for expenses such as sta. “It is not appropriate to implement capacity enhancements to interprovincial collaboration before signed agreements are in place, including the appointment of Western Milk Pool sta,” Kotowich told Country Life in BC regarding Alberta’s concerns. “The Marketing Council sees many benets to the Western provinces working collaboratively, and by addressing these concerns this endeavour will be better set up for success,” he added. “Due to constraints with provincial supervisory boards and regulations, the transformation of the WMP has taken a dierent shape,” the Saskatchewan Milk Marketing Board told members earlier this year, prior to a review by its own provincial regulator. Yet the need for closer collaboration among the boards in order to secure a stronger future for all means that work towards harmonization among the boards has not slowed down. “We will continue to engage producers on the WMP transformation initiative,” BC Milk told FIRB. “Once we have clarity on how to proceed with WMP collaboration, we will consult with producers and seek their feedback.” Sign up for FREE!FARM NEWS UPDATES countrylifeinbc.comBremer FarmsEmeny Road, EnderbyPlease RSVP to the Sila Grow Oce.Event updates will be posted on our Facebook Page.
10 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCView over 100 listings of farm properties at www.bcfarmandranch.comBC FARM & RANCH REALTY CORP.Buying or Selling a Farm or Acreage?GORD HOUWELING Cell: 604/793-8660GREG WALTON Cell: 604/864-1610Toll free 1-888-852-AGRI Call BC’s First and Only Real Estate Office committed 100% to Agriculture!PROFESSIONAL SERVICESSite C reservoir begins flooding farmlandAgricultural Compensation Fund was created to support local agricultural production, programs and projects, osetting the loss of farmland. While the dam near Fort St. John is in a region experiencing Level 4 drought, BC Hydro says the reservoir will not be aected. “Water to ll the Site C reservoir will come from the Williston Reservoir upstream, after it is used to generate electricity at both the GM Shrum and Peace Canyon generating stations,” BC Hydro says. “The amount of water required to ll Site C’s reservoir is many times less than the annual discharge from the upstream Williston Reservoir, even under a drought year.” The rst generating unit is set to begin operation by the end of the year, with all six generators in operation by fall 2025. — Peter Mitham Dairy NEP picks announced The BC Milk Marketing Board’s New Entrant Program has selected four nalists to begin production in 2025. The nalists include Lindsey Dirks, Jared Romeyn, and Jonathan Wouda from the Lower Mainland as well as Clinton and Dionne Quesnel from the Okanagan. The four were selected following interviews with nine Expert farm taxation adviceApproved consultants for Government funding throughBC Farm Business Advisory Services ProgramEnderby 250-838-7337Armstrong 250-546-8665 |t1VSDIBTFBOETBMFPGGBSNTt5SBOTGFSPGGBSNTUPDIJMESFOt(PWFSONFOUTVCTJEZQSPHSBNTt1SFQBSBUJPOPGGBSNUBYSFUVSOTt6TFPG$BQJUBM(BJOT&YFNQUJPOT$ISJT)FOEFSTPO$1"$"-PSFO)VUUPO$1"$"5PMM 'SFF1-888-818-FARM |www.farmtax.comRossworn HendersonLLPChartered Professional Accountants - Tax Consultantsartered Professional Accountants - Tax ConsultanCALL FOR AN ESTIMATE LARRY 604.209.5523 TROY 604.209.5524 TRI-WAY FARMS LASER LEVELLING LTD.IMPROVED DRAINAGE UNIFORM GERMINATION UNIFORM IRRIGATION FAST, ACCURATE SURVEYING INCREASE CROP YIELDS We service all of Southern BCqualifying candidates picked at random this spring from 30 contenders who submitted applications this past winter. Despite a challenging economic environment for dairy producers, this year’s program attracted a similar response to last year, when 33 candidates applied to enter conventional production. The short list last year also included Clint Quesnel, underscoring the importance of persistence as well as a commitment to the opportunities the sector provides. However, the number of candidates was down from 95 in 2019, the initial year of the program, and 77 in 2020. NEP nalists engaged in conventional production receive 15 kg of Continuous Daily Quota (CDQ) at startup, plus up to 8 kg of matching CDQ provided on a 1:1 ratio basis during the 10 years of the program. Additionally, recent investments in food security by Indigenous governments are boosting interest in dairy production in these communities. Tsq̓éscen̓ First Nations (Canim Lake Band) are exploring the opportunity of having a couple of milk cows as part of Broken Rock Ranch, a project funded by the province’s New Relationship Trust. BC Milk said it had yet to receive a request for quota from Tsq̓éscen̓, and did not comment on the process for Broken Rock to generate milk for First Nations use. — Peter Mitham Former MP Chuck Strahl dies Chilliwack’s Chuck Strahl, former Reform Party and Conservative MP for Chilliwack, died August 13 after a long battle with mesothelioma. He was 67. Besides his long service as the representative of constituents in the eastern Fraser Valley from 1993 to 2011, Strahl was the rst federal agriculture minister from BC since Simon Tolmie in 1926. Strahl’s appointment to the role lasted 18 months, and was notable for his part in the breaking of the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly. Strahl purged 16,000 farmers from the board’s voter list and subsequently dismissed the board’s president on the grounds that he displeased the federal cabinet, at whose pleasure he served. Strahl’s term also saw reforms to the federal farm income stabilization program, though the work of reform continues to this day. Strahl’s roots in the Fraser Valley made him a champion of agriculture at the local level, however. It positioned him well for federal service, and tributes to him in recent weeks have emphasized his honour, integrity and devotion to family and his faith. Chilliwack lowered its ags in tribute following Strahl’s The loss of thousands of acres of farmland in the Peace Region is now underway as the reservoir behind the Site C dam begins to ll. Delayed for a year due to what BC Hydro termed “unnished business,” the lling of the reservoir was announced August 25. The reservoir will ultimately allow the Site C generating station to begin operation. But while the energy project powers up, it nalizes the loss of approximately 10,000 acres of farmland, including 6,860 acres excluded from the Agricultural Land Reserve in 2015. BC Hydro reassuringly notes that less than 1% of farmland in the Peace region has been lost to the dam. It adds that a $20 million Peace Ag Briefs PETER MITHAMdeath. A memorial service was held August 23 at Chilliwack Alliance Church, where he served in many capacities over the years. — Peter Mitham Pender Island FI honoured More than a century of contributions to its community by the Pender Island Farmers Institute was recognized August 24 with the presentation of a Century Farm Award. “The Pender Island Farmers Institute has been bringing farmers together to help improve agricultural methods, manage costs and create community since 1899,” the province said in announcing the award. The oldest community organization on Pender Island, the farmers institute has sponsored many activities over its 125 years. These include the local farmers market since 1978 as well as Seedy Saturday events, a school planting program, a bursary and a Farm Food Hub. The Century Farm Award honours pioneers whose farm, ranch or agricultural organization has been active in BC for 100 years. The award was presented to the institute at its annual fall fair, which the institute has organized since 1932. — Peter Mitham BC Tree Fruits is a loss for all of usEditor: Closing BC Tree Fruits is not an executive decision. A deciding group of ve or six individuals do not just announce, “We are closing the co-op, and we're liquidating its assets." That this idea even entered their mind is barely conceivable. The BC Tree Fruits Cooperative was created as an extension of the fruit growers’ community. And it still is, with its handling, processing, marketing and distributing of produce. But also with its associated benets of technical, organizational, material and moral support. Closing its doors is like closing the doors of a community. It's like a mayor and council announcing your community is now closed. But I'm not sure that's the way the world works. BC Tree Fruits is also an ideal. It is not just another company. It's a co-op. It's a social enterprise, something the world needs more of. It's like waking up one morning and nding our credit union has been sold. And, after 90 years, more than just its membership owns it. It's very much an integral member of a larger community and an example to that community. And, if it's facing serious problems, we as a community need to be there to help it. Now is the time fruit growers – already suering as they are – need this co-op the most. In time and with planning, BC Tree Fruits will adapt: re-evaluating markets, developing new product lines. This is something the whole world will be in the process of doing. Richard Wright, Powell River Letters
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 11Brian Witzke and his son Shayne (right) were proud of their orchard, which owed a great deal to Brian's professionalism. | MYRNA STARK LEADERwww.tubeline.ca 1.888.856.6613@TubelineMFGFind us onNITRO 275RS SPREADERSACCUMUL8 & RETRIEVERBALEWRAPPERS SILAGE RAKEBrian Witzke, a lifelong apple grower with a passion for excellence and the Okanagan fruit industry, passed away on July 14. He was 76. “If you want to know about the new replant program, go and talk to Brian,” former BC Fruit Growers Association president Fred Steele told me in 2015. Witzke had hosted then-Premier Christy Clark for an announcement regarding the program, and his orchard was the perfect setting. Orderly rows of apple trees lined the driveway at the Witzke orchard in the Belgo area of East Kelowna, a property his father originally worked. Prior to orcharding full-time, Witzke served 12 years with the British Columbia Dragoons in Vernon and Wainwright, working his way up to warrant ocer. Witzke and his wife Dorothy, whom he married in 1974, brought their own knack for growing to the farm, eventually becoming the rst orchardists to receive both the BCFGA Golden Apple Award and Compact Apple Award in the same year. Witzke never took his success for granted, however, and continued to farm in an award-winning way. Witzke’s house was always guarded by a German Shepherd. It had a loud bark, but no bite. Witzke was pretty much the same. When I rst shook his hand, I was a little intimidated, but I soon learned that his gru nature hid a very kind heart. Brian and his son Shayne, a partner in the orchard, sat me down in the garage, the site of numerous chats over the years. There was usually a piece of equipment in for repair or rebuild. Brian was always tinkering to make a machine work better and often rigging a new part for the job. I was new to the apple industry at the time. I asked lots of questions and said as little as possible but I’m sure it took Brian no more than ve minutes to realize how little I knew. Witzke was justly proud of his business and how it had supported his family, and was always willing to share his experience with others. But there were never any put-downs – that’s not the kind of guy Brian was – just an occasional gripe about the industry and lots of hearty laughter. I remember driving down his driveway on one particular occasion, and noticed a huge stack of bins from an independent packer. Brian had called me to give me a heads-up on what he was doing and why. He was leaving the BC Tree Fruits Co-op where he had always shipped his fruit and having his apples packed and marketed by another packinghouse. He hated doing it, but he simply could not accept the lower returns that came from a pooling system, where processing poor quality fruit reduced the Orchardist’s death marks the end of an eraBrian Witzke was a grower’s grower, and shared his enthusiasmIn passing TOM WALKERreturns of even the best growers. “Dad always believed that no matter what you were producing, whether it was food or building a house, if you worked hard and delivered a top-quality product you should be paid accordingly,” Shayne told me recently. “That was not happening for us under the co-op system.” Brian phoned me earlier this summer to tell me he believed the co-op was in trouble. Although he no longer shipped his apples there, he was worried what would happen to the industry he cared so much about if BC Tree Fruits closed. Twelve days after his death, the co-op shut its doors. Witzke is survived by his wife Dorothy, son Shayne and daughter Sheila as well as one grandson. A celebration of life was held at the family farm on August 10.
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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 13Ag advisory committee in jeopardyCentral Saanich council calls for governance reviewSaanich Peninsula's rural-urban interface benets from the region's agricultural advisory committee, but farmers fear a development-friendly agenda will end its work. | FILE PHOTOKATE AYERS SAANICHTON – Central Saanich producers are sounding the alarm as the municipality prepares to withdraw support for the Peninsula and Area Agricultural Commission. “PAAC is something that’s denitely needed,” says local farmer and PAAC appointee Barry McLean. “With the opposition that we’re facing from more local governments in terms of oppression and what not, it veries and validies the fact that we need PAAC. We need better representation on council from and of farmers because right now we’re at the bottom of the barrel.” PAAC, formerly known as the Peninsula Agricultural Commission, was formed in 1997. It is an advisory body established and funded by the municipalities of Central Saanich, Saanich, North Saanich and Metchosin. The group meets once a month, 10 times a year and provides advice, information and assistance to member municipalities on agriculture related matters. Central Saanich had its own agricultural advisory committee in addition to PAAC until January 2020. At that time, council disbanded the former group on the grounds that it duplicated PAAC’s work and was prone to conicts of interest. Now, Central Saanich has called for a governance review of PAAC that would eectively stall its operations, with day-to-day work continuing but no new members able to join. The committee has seven voting members, the majority from Central Saanich, and meetings sometime struggle to achieve quorum. “In October we got notice that Central Saanich wasn't going to approve our new appointments and that they wanted to conduct a governance review,” PAAC chair Robin Tunniclie, co-owner of Metchosin’s Sea Blu Farm. “We were surprised because nine years ago we had a lawyer review our terms of reference and we developed a really solid governance model within our structure, and commissions like ours are overseen by the [BC] Ministry of Agriculture. We have a solid base, so we aren't sure why this governance review is necessary.” The BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Agricultural Land Commission support agricultural advisory committees by making knowledgeable personnel available and by sharing information. Also, sta can be available to attend meetings as non-voting technical resource members, provincial resources say. According to PAAC’s terms of reference, new appointments hold three-year terms for up to 12 members total. With several vacancies, last summer Tunniclie was thrilled to have two experienced applicants interested in joining PAAC – former BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food agrologist Kathleen Zimmerman and McLean, a long-time farmer. Zimmerman worked with local governments and their agricultural advisory committees for a decade. McLean grew up and lived on a farm in the Prairies for 30 years before relocating to Central Saanich in 2016. He now grows blueberries and raises sheep and chickens. Tunniclie hopes the situation is the result of a misunderstanding that the Municipal age nda uUSED EQUIPMENT NH 1036 BALE WAGON, 70 BALES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,500 SHAVER #10 POST DRIVER, SKIDSTEER MOUNT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,500 JD 568 2012 ROUND BALER, 17,000 BALES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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14 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Municipal agenda drives governance review, critics sayIt’s Better with Beekman!Beekmanauctions.comFALL AUCTIONOct. 17thThe Best way to Buy & Sell Farm Related Items!October 12/14/15th: ConsignmentOctober 16th: Viewing & FREE DinnerChilliwackB.C.group and municipality can resolve through discussions. “We just couldn't get a solid answer from Central Saanich of when the governance review would be conducted, how it would be conducted,” Tunniclie says. “Mayor [Ryan] Windsor came to our meeting in October [2023] and he told us that it might take a full year to do, which is frustrating for us because we have trouble making quorum and we just want to [include] new members.” Several people interviewed for this story asked to go o the record, but pointed to a widespread suspicion that Central Saanich believes PAAC stands in the way of its vision for development. Many believe council and sta want to control PAAC’s make-up. “Based on Kathleen’s history, based on my grievances I’ve had, they see us as squeaky people who will push back against government tyranny and push back against restrictions on farmers. They don’t want that,” McLean says. “Three other municipalities approved us, PAAC approved us and Central Saanich could have approved us and then done their governance review, but they chose not to.” The agenda and minutes from council’s October 10 meeting do not mention PAAC or a governance review, but one of the items listed in the agenda is a closed meeting to discuss appointments. However, in an October 11 letter addressed to Tunniclie, Central Saanich director of corporate services and corporate ocer Emilie Gorman said the October 10 meeting decided that the Central Saanich would make no further appointments until PAAC underwent a governance review, and that the sta processes for managing the committee be claried as part of the review. Recruitment an issue North Saanich’s council meeting on October 23 saw councillors express the importance of PAAC and approving membership in less than a year. North Saanich corporate services director and meeting chair Rachel Dumas noted PAAC’s terms of reference states that municipalities recruit and assign membership. The appointees brought forward last year were recruited internally by PAAC, Dumas says, which has caused conict. North Saanich council did not have enough information about the governance review to decide if it would support it at the time. In fact, councillors in all municipalities funding PAAC have questioned the call for a governance review. This summer, with the retirement of PAAC secretary Isobel Homann looming at the end of the year, the issue of where the committee will meet has been added to the ongoing concerns. The District of Saanich has supplied Homann’s wages and PAAC’s meeting location at the municipal hall for the last 27 years. Saanich asked that the other municipalities take on the expenses and that the terms of reference be updated to include the rotation of a secretary between member municipalities. “It's somebody else's turn, and it makes sense that it would be Central Saanich because they're the next biggest municipality,” Tunniclie says. But on June 10, Gorman and Windsor framed Saanich’s desire for another municipality to take on its role as a withdrawal of support for PAAC. “Council was told that Saanich isn't supporting the committee anymore, which is completely erroneous. They just said that their support person is resigning. And so, someone else needs to be the support person,” says Zimmerman. Windsor went on to express concern about uncertainty around PAAC’s work and the governance review, suggesting the committee has run its course. “Nobody is sure what's going on with the governance review. Only he and sta can answer that question because they initiated it,” Zimmerman says. Niall Paltiel, Central Saanich’s PAAC liaison, and Windsor declined interviews regarding PAAC. “They don't know information about the committee. They haven't stated anywhere what is wrong with PAAC, like how is PAAC not meeting its current terms of reference,” Zimmerman says. “The only thing they've highlighted is they have concerns about how members are appointed but they haven't even gone into detail [about] what would they like to do dierently in terms of the appointment process.” The June 10 meeting concluded with direction to sta to engage with Central Saanich’s farm community regarding a transitioning of resources away from PAAC to other initiatives. The results will be discussed at a meeting in early September. Zimmerman has circulated a petition to garner community support for PAAC’s ongoing involvement in Central Saanich. Withdrawing its support for PAAC would leave Central Saanich without a formal means of hearing from the local agricultural community. It would also jeopardize PAAC’s ability to represent farmers in the region’s three other municipalities unless funding is found to cover the cost of a secretary and meeting space. “PAAC is very important. Farmers need to have a voice,” says McLean. “Based on my experience with them, they do a very valuable job and touch on a lot of dierent aspects of farming and oer a ton of support to the network of people who are involved in PAAC down the chain to small and big farms alike.” Tunniclie agrees. “If Central Saanich does withdraw its support, that will be a blow to us. But I think ultimately, communities need this advisory role,” she says. “[Central Saanich] has the lion's share of the farmland on the peninsula. They really need us whether they realize it or not.”
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 15BC's agricultural fairs support the province's Buy BC message by showcasing local products, but the province has held off supporting the umbrella group that supports fair organizers in their work. | NORTH PEACE FALL FAIRPRE-OWNED EQUIPMENT CASE IH MAXXUM 5250 Cab 2WD Just in . . . . . Call for Details CASE IH FARMALL 95A MFD Rops Tractor with Loader . . . . . Call CLAAS JAG 870 SP Forage Harvester 10’ pickup & 6row cornhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Call for more details/Pricing CLAAS ORBIS 600 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Call for Details www.caliberequipment.ca MONDAY-FRIDAY, 8-5 | SATURDAYS, 8-12604-864-2273 860 RIVERSIDE ROAD ABBOTSFORD Unstoppable. For more than 50 years.CLAAS 880 Center Delivery Rotary Rake . . . . . . . . . . . . . $23,500 KUBOTA DMC8536T Mid Pivot Mower Conditioner . . . $31,900 MCHALE R6878 Center Delivery Rotary Rake . . . . . . . . 45,000 NH T4.75 Tractor ROPS MFD with Loader . . . . . . . . . . . . $47,500Fall Deals on CLAAS HaytoolsPETER MITHAM SECHELT – A sequence of unfortunate events have pushed the BC Association of Agricultural Fairs and Exhibitions (BC Fairs) to the brink of bankruptcy. While emergency grants from member organizations have thrown the association a lifeline, executive director Janine Saw says a long-term solution remains elusive. “This has been building since 2020, and we just have not been able to get our feet back underneath us, get the support funding we needed to get these support programs back up and running and rebuild,” she says. “We’ve been operating on a shoestring budget. We’ve just been working to try and continue providing the services that we’re able.” The pandemic exposed just how precarious the nances of volunteer organizations are, Saw explains. “Prior to COVID we had a fairly robust membership,” she said, noting that there were 30 commercial service members, but that dropped to three. “The eects of COVID on these small businesses, they basically just shut down,” she says. “Of course, all advertising dried up as well; sponsorships dried up.” Without revenues, the association didn’t qualify for provincial gaming grants, forcing it to tap the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy and Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) programs Ottawa oered in order to stay alive. CEBA monies had to be repaid by this past January. This wouldn’t have been a problem if the association had hosted its annual conference last fall as planned. Instead, it had to postpone the conference until this past April due to fallout from last summer’s wildres in the Okanagan. “The conference would normally have generated approximately $40,000, $45,000 for us. We didn’t get that funding because we couldn’t hold the conference in October,” Saw says. Without the conference revenue, it once again failed to qualify for provincial gaming funds. This left it with very little cash after repaying support funding to Ottawa. “We didn’t have much left over other than to go ahead and hold the conference in April,” she says. “The gods were not with us, and we had only a third of the normal attendance, which was basically the last straw for BC Fairs nancially.” When members met for their annual general meeting on July 15, BC Fairs had just $1,000 in the bank. Fairs group holds the line against cash flow crunchOne of BC’s oldest agricultural organizations seeks stable fundingIndividual fairs u
16 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Individual fairs step up with financial supportBut when members were asked to approve the 114-year-old organization’s dissolution, their opposition was unanimous. Instead, the membership directed Saw to look beyond government for funding. “We have reached out to members to ask if they can make donations to help keep the association going, as we continue the battle to try and nd funding,” she says. The requests have been successful, with three member fairs, including the IPE, posting $32,500 to keep the association going. A further ve have indicated their intention to make donations. Ironically, the individual fairs that make up the association’s membership were eligible for $60 million in support oered over two years through the BC Fairs, Festivals and Events Recovery Grant program. BC Fairs itself was ineligible, however, because it doesn’t host events. BC Fairs has approached both the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food and BC Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport for emergency funding but no assistance has been forthcoming. “They [said they] had disbursed over $1 million in this last application period for the recovery grant to agricultural fairs and festivals and we should go to them to get money,” Saw says. But $400,000 went to the PNE alone, and three others received $100,000. Nine received less than $10,000 while a further 18 member fairs received nothing. “It honestly felt like there was a door shut in our face,” she says of the province’s response. “It was heartbreaking.” The support from individual fairs is encouraging, however, demonstrating the organization’s value as an umbrella group undertaking the advocacy and education work beyond the means of individual societies. A case in point was BC Fairs’ advocacy for accommodations for fairs within the federal livestock traceability regulation. The new regulation would have imposed excessive reporting obligations on volunteer sta, making it easier for them to forgo livestock displays altogether. “We worked for three years on that; it would have been an incredible challenge for so many of the agricultural fair societies,” Saw says. “We’ve just successfully got a response back from the federal government that they’re taking that proposed regulation o the table.” BC Fairs is now setting its sights on a move by 4-H Canada to restrict the use of the 4-H name and logo, a move that would curtail fundraising by the fairs that host 4-H events. “In BC, agricultural fairs receive no funding from the Ministry of Agriculture to help support the costs of holding these events. So it’s the individual fairs that go out and do fundraising and sponsor drives,” Saw explains. Combined with the cash ow issues aecting BC Fairs, the move to curtail fundraising by individual fairs underscores a broader issue regarding the lack of stable funding for fairs even as 4-H has received $600,000 from the province in support of programming between 2018 and 2023. “It seems shocking to us that they would just simply walk away without any eort to work with us,” Saw says. “We are very frustrated that the actual fairs and the provincial association do not seem to be getting any recognition for the work we do to support this kind of programming.” A team of heavy horses from Mt. Baker Clydesdales in Lynden, Washington were a crowd favourite at this year’s Abbotsford Agrifair. | BETTY JOHNSTON / ABBOTSFORD AGRIFAIRGREAT DEALS ON NOW
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 17Hosting a nutrient management eld day on August 7 was a great way for Marlene and Peter Lewis to become more aware of best practices for their farm. | SUBMITTEDcountrylifeinbc.comThe agricultural news source in BC since 1915. 250.307.5042 tf 1.877.707.5042 info@roostsolar.com www.roostsolar.com The only installer in the region with an NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional, committed to the highest level of quality, customer service, and technical expertise.TSBC License #LEL0209968Visit online or call our oce for info on how to get started!Solar PV Arrays | Home Battery Systems | EV ChargersRoost Solar is a licensed electrical contractor with Red Seal Journeyman/woman Electricians. INSTALL SOLAR TODAY AND ACCESS BOTHThe BC Hydro Rebate for up to $5,000 on solar installations, and up to $40,000 in 10-year, interest-free financing through the Canada Greener Homes Loan program. NEW Solar RebateBC Hydro has just announced a new rebate for up to $5000 for solar installations!KATE AYERS NANAIMO – To help producers better understand phosphorus management and their soils, nutrient management specialists held a field day on August 7 at Empress Acres in Nanaimo. Professional agrologist Ruth McDougall facilitated discussions for eight attendees on the significance of and risks associated with phosphorus management on farms. “I didn't know that much about phosphorus and why it was so important to measure it,” says Empress Acres co-owner Marlene Lewis who farms with her husband Peter. The couple bought their 69-acre property in 2017 to grow Empress trees. “The trees were planted in partnership with World Tree for a source of sustainable lumber. Also, the leaves are large and thick, sequestering more carbon and giving off more oxygen than most trees and they're high in nitrogen and improve the soil when the leaves drop each year,” Lewis says. “Planting them this far north was an experiment. They don't do well here on a large scale. They need too much care for a tree plantation.” They have since turned the property into a mixed farm raising laying hens and pigs and growing produce and flowers. The couple also have a wedding venue and farmhouse lodging. They have spent the last two years focused on developing water and grazing plans for the farm and will prioritize soil nutrient management in the next year. This field day coincided with the Code of Practice for Agricultural Environmental Management phasing in nutrient management planning requirements for vulnerable aquifer recharge areas and phosphorus-affected areas. These plans became mandatory on July 15 for Vancouver Island farms that are over five hectares and have soil tests results of 200 ppm phosphorus or higher. Most of the Island is considered a phosphorus affected area. The NMPs must be implemented in spring 2025 and beyond. “If there's too much phosphorus going into water, it creates algal blooms and it kills all the life in the water,” Lewis says. “I had no concern about too much phosphorus on our farm. The front field is organically certified, but it made me realize I just need to be aware.” The couple lease one field to a neighbour who grows silage corn for cattle, and they have a creek running through the property that links to the salmon-bearing Nanaimo River. Phosphorus can also end up in surface water even if producers don’t have creeks or streams on their properties. “Phosphorus is a unique nutrient in that it binds pretty tightly to soil particles,” says BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food nutrient management specialist Josh Andrews. “When you have runoff or erosion, that phosphorus leaves the field, and it typically ends up in surface water. … We want farmers to be aware of the management practices that affect phosphorus loss from their fields.” While soil type is less of a risk factor, crop management and landscape can contribute to phosphorus loss. The low-down on phosphorus management Excess nitrogen, phosphorus are environmental concerns Vegetative buffer u
18 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Vegetative buffer “If you have soils that don't drain water very well or not as quickly, and they have a higher slope, you're at greater risk of soil erosion or surface runoff of water leaving your farm,” Andrews says. “If that soil gets saturated and some of that water leaves, the per cent of phosphorus in that runoff may be fairly low, but if it's a large quantity of water, it could be several pounds or hundreds of pounds or even tons of actual phosphorus.” If producers are near a water body, they should have setbacks to prevent applications close to the water or create a vegetative buffer zone to filter out excess nutrients and prevent soil particles from eroding or running into the water. “It is about crop production but it's also about protecting these sensitive areas,” Andrews adds. Producers can use the ministry’s nutrient management calculator to determine how much phosphorus a crop needs and how much the crop removes from the soil. “The first step is doing that nutrient accounting to see what's going on there. And then in the long term, we generally recommend producers don't apply more phosphorus than the crop is going to remove,” Andrews says. The bottom line is that producers need to apply the right nutrient, using the right source, at the right rate at the right time. “Nutrient management planning is probably one of the best things producers can do,” Andrews says. Producers who want or need to develop nutrient management plans can get support through ministry programs, regional agrologists and local qualified nutrient management specialists. “If you are on Vancouver Island or a phosphorus-affected area and you have an environmental farm plan, you can get a nutrient management plan done by a nutrient management planner and the program will help fund that cost,” he says of the Investment Agriculture Foundation’s BC Climate Agri-Solutions Fund (BCCAF). This fall, Lewis plans to send in soil samples from her property to ensure phosphorus levels are in check. “That will be a big focus going forward,” she says of soil monitoring and nutrient planning. “We're just getting the grazing and water management pieces sorted and then looking more thoroughly at the soil nutrient management. This was a good introduction to that for us.” AEM Code phases in nutrient plans Since February 2019, nutrient management plans have become mandatory in specic areas and types of operations across BC under the Code of Practice for Agricultural Environmental Management. Starting on July 15, 2024, all agricultural operations on Vancouver Island larger than ve hectares and have soils testing 200 ppm or more of phosphorus must have a nutrient management plan completed by a qualied professional. This plan will be implemented for the 2025 growing season and onwards. NMPs are viable for up to ve years. If producers make signicant changes to their agricultural operations or nutrient management, the NMPs must be revised. In July 2026, BC farms larger than ve hectares within phosphorus-aected areas and soils with 100 ppm of phosphorus will need a plan for the 2027 growing season onwards. Maps of the aected areas are provided on the province’s nutrient management planning webpage. Starting July 15, 2025, agricultural operations across the province that are not in vulnerable aquifer recharge areas or phosphorus-aected areas but test over 150 kg N/ha or 300 ppm phosphorus must prepare a nutrient application plan. The purpose of the plans is to prevent water contamination in high-risk areas by ensuring that commercial fertilizer, manure or other nutrients are not being applied in excess of crop needs. — Kate Ayers A positive shade of blueTerry Randhawa oversees harvest of the crop at G & R Growers Ltd. in Abbotsford at the end of July. Terry farms full-time with his dad Rattan. He says this year’s crop is better than last year’s. | MYRNA STARK LEADER
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 19Grower optimism encouraged at annual field dayVineyard practices changing following extreme weather eventsRichard Cleave (left) receives the BC Grapegrowers Association Lifetime Achievement Award from Troy Osborne, director of viticulture (West) at Arterra Wines Canada in June. | TOM WALKERTOM WALKER PENTICTON – Washington State University viticulture professor Markus Keller gave grape growers some good news as he delivered the Triggs International Premium Vinifera Lecture at the joint annual general meeting and grower day of the BC Grapegrowers Association (BCGA) and the BC Wine Grape Council (BCWGC) in Penticton, August 6-7. You will survive, Keller told growers as he spoke on “Vineyard Recovery After a Severe Weather Event.” “I wanted to give you some hope that you’ll get through this. It has been done before,” he said. Keller showed examples of Washington grapevines that sustained bud and trunk damage during a -28°C cold snap on January 5-6, 2004. “The grower cut back the damaged vines to 30cm above ground, retrained suckers that sprouted out of the trunk, and the next year was able to harvest 11.2 tons of grapes per hectare,” Keller explains. Vineyard recovery was the theme of the eld portion of the two-day event, with growers touring three vineyards. The second day hosted each group’s annual meeting as well as presentations focused on replanting and renewal. While the industry is awaiting the results of an impact survey conducted by the BCWGC and Summerland Research and Development Centre, very few vineyards will have any grapes to harvest this year following January’s freeze event that caused signicant damage to vines. Some vines have been able to support a full leaf canopy from existing canes, while many others have sprouted suckers from the base that are being retrained into new trunk and cane systems. Yet other blocks are completely dead or so weak they are not worth saving. Blue Mountain Vineyards winemaker Matt Mavety explained how workers trained up suckers in his vineyard to encourage vigorous growth. “Next year we will select the strongest canes and prune them to support a grape crop,” Mavety says. See Ya Later Ranch, on the other hand, has chosen to replant a severely damaged Pinot Noir vineyard toured during the eld day. “Many of these 30 year old vines are suering from trunk disease and are not strong enough to support new sucker growth to retrain,” says viticulture director Troy Osborne. “We will need to pull and replant this entire block.” But there are some positives. Osborne explained that as part of the replant process, they will be able to break up the dense soil on the site, increase the planting density to boost yield, and straighten the rows. A new trellis system will support more mechanical management, reducing labour needs. A vineyard at Hillside Winery in Penticton hosted a discussion of how dierent varieties responded to extreme cold. On one side of the vineyard, Gewurztraminer vines were pushing a strong canopy of leaves from the upper canes, while a Syrah block across the road impacted by the December 2022 freeze event was struggling to support suckers and would be pulled out and replanted with a dierent variety. Things are looking better The freeze event was front and centre during the BCGA annual meeting on August 7, which attracted some 150 participants. “Those 40 hours in January showed us we as an industry are not as strong as we thought,” says BCGA president Sue de Charmoy. “But things are looking much better than we thought earlier in the year.” De Charmoy alerted growers to the Perennial Crop Renewal Program’s planned opening to replant applications in September. “They are still rming up details, but you should be able to order vines this fall in order to plant them the following year,” she says. She also updated growers Grape shift uA PERFECT MATCHFOR THE NEEDS OF YOUR FARM.The Massey Ferguson® 7S Series incorporates the latest technology, setting the standards in ease of operation and dependability. MF 7S Series tractors are ideally suited for use in a range of applications thanks to a wide choice of engine models, transmissions, cab specifications, hydraulics and PTO options. 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20 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Grape shift Safely dispose of unwanted or obsolete agricultural pesticides and livestock/equine medications – no charge! Take them to the following locations on the dates noted between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.Farmers! Got unwanted pesticides or livestock/equine medications?British ColumbiaSCAN MECleanfarms.cainfo@cleanfarms.ca @cleanfarmsERICKSONMonday, Oct. 28Growers Supply Co.754 - 35 Ave. S., V0B 1G9KAMLOOPSMonday, Oct. 21Purity Feed Ltd.471 Okanagan Way, V2H 1G7KELOWNAWednesday, Oct. 23Growers Supply Co.2605 Acland Rd., V1X 7J4MCBRIDETuesday, Oct. 22McBride Regional Transfer Station500 N.W. Frontage Rd., V0J 2E0OLIVERThursday, Oct. 24Growers Supply Co.5911 Sawmill Rd., V0H 1T0PENTICTONFriday, Oct. 25Growers Supply Co.180 Dawson Rd., V2A 3N6PRINCE GEORGEWednesday, Oct. 23Foothills Boulevard Regional Landfill6595 Landfill Rd., V2K 5H3QUESNELThursday, Oct. 24Four Rivers Co-operative1280 Quesnel Hixon Rd., V2J 5Z3VANDERHOOFMonday, Oct. 21Four Rivers Co-op1055 Hwy. 16 W., V0J 3A0VERNONTuesday, Oct. 22Growers Supply Co.1200 Waddington Dr., V1T 8T3WILLIAMS LAKEFriday, Oct. 25153 Mile Fertilizer#80-5101 Frizzi Rd., V2G 5E4PartnerCleanfarms 2024 Unwanted Pesticides & Old Livestock/Equine Medications CollectionBritish Columbia – October 21st to 28th• Next Cleanfarms collection in these areas in 2027.• For collection dates elsewhere, go to: cleanfarms.ca/materials/unwanted-pesticides-animal-meds/2024-CF-UPLM-Country Life in BC-AD-8.167x9.indd 1 2024-08-01 3:22 PMon the task force that will begin in early 2025 to draft a long-term strategic plan that will set the industry’s vision for the next 30 years. UBC associate professor Elizabeth Wolkovich spoke about her work modeling grape varieties suited to the BC climate. “There is much discussion in the industry about the need to shift varieties in the face of climate change,” Wolkovich says. “The suitability of a particular vine’s physiology to the climate is a challenge for every wine-growing region. Europe is having the same challenges as the Okanagan and I would say they are even happening faster.” Double trouble Killing cold of -30°C and 40°C heat waves are a two-fold challenge for the grape vines that survive. While winters are trending milder, extreme cold events are still likely. “Cold is always a problem at the edge of where we grow,” says Wolkovich. “But what variety can survive the heat as well as having cold hardiness?” Hotter summers are also aecting winemakers. Too much heat ripens grapes earlier in the season, increasing sugar and boosting alcohol levels while changing the grape’s avour prole. “High temperatures … reduce the acid in wine and reshape the aromatic and phenolic proles,” Wolkovich says. She notes that Pinot Noir, while quite cold hardy, may be less suited for the hotter regions of the southern Okanagan and Similkameen, but heat-loving varieties such as Grenache and Zinfandel are less cold-hardy. Wolkovich is developing a model outlining risk factors for each variety. “When you pick a variety you want to select one that matches the climate all the way from bud-burst through to harvest, in addition to hardiness,” she says. Other topics include a panel sharing practical tips for irrigation management, a wellness session that shared resources for navigating challenging times and a wine tasting led by Sustainable Winegrowing BC program manager Ruth King, featuring three certied sustainable Okanagan wines. Wolkovich concluded her talk with much the same optimism as Keller. “We have a huge opportunity here in BC,” she says. “We have been lucky so far, but we need to be more exible in the grapes we grow.” TOM WALKER PENTICTON – The BC Grapegrowers Association Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Richard Cleave at the association’s Grower’s Day in Penticton in June. Cleave was recognized for his groundbreaking work developing vineyards in the South Okanagan in the mid 1970s and pioneering the commercial production of heat-loving European varieties in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Immigrating from England in 1972, Richard and his wife Adrienne first landed in Grand Forks where he put his agriculture diploma to use managing a potato and vegetable farm. They made the move to the South Okanagan in 1975, and Cleave’s lifelong involvement in the grape industry began. Cleave started out managing vineyards for others on the Black Sage Bench east of Oliver and by 1991, he was able to purchase his own vineyard. He began planting Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Chardonnay. By 1996, he was able to purchase a second property, and added Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc to his lineup. “The Phantom Creek vineyard was his dream property,” son Robert Cleave told the audience. Phantom Creek was somewhat of a constant experiment, Robert explains. “Whether it was tighter spacings, trellis systems, irrigation systems, rootstocks or canopy management, there was always an idea in his head for improvement,” Robert says. “It was also where he discovered a part of his farming philosophy – more vines per acre, less pounds per vine.” Other vineyard owners clearly liked his philosophy. Cleave partnered with Robert Goltz to form R&R Management in the early 1990s with the aim of managing some 300 acres. But the company quickly grew, finding work with industry leaders including Harry McWatters, Bob Wareham and Albert LeCompte, as well as Mission Hill and Vincor. The company grew to 70 full-time, year-round employees and at its peak managed 1,860 acres and planted more than 4,000 acres. Robert says his dad enjoyed his working relationships, including the one he formed with winemaker Howard Soon, part of the team responsible for Sandhill Winery’s Small Lots program. “Awards and medals were a regular thing for Dad and Howard, but 2009 was a very special year,” Robert recalls. “Dad got Best Red in Canada with his 2007 Small Lots Syrah, Howard Soon received Best Winery of the Year with Sandhill, and Robert Goltz received Best White in Canada for his 2008 Small Lots Viognier.” After the triple win, Wine Access magazine also listed Richard’s Phantom Creek Vineyard as one of the top 10 vineyards in the world. “This man gave me my career,” says Howard Soon as he spoke about his friendship with Richard Cleave over the last 24 years. “He showed us the importance of the grapegrower in making good wine, and I give him credit for proving that we could grow vinifera wine grapes in the Okanagan.” Richard Cleave receives top honourViticulturist planted close to 4,000 acres over a five-decade career
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 21Variety a reward that works for large animal vetsShortage of vets means diverse duties in rural areasA ne clip: Dr. Don Dietrick says the diversity of large-animal practice in BC is one of the rewards of serving in under-served areas. | SUBMITTEDKELLY SINOSKI WILLIAMS LAKE – In the end, it was the oxen who convinced Dr. Don Dietrick to forge a career as a large animal veterinarian in Williams Lake. Dietrick was looking for a new challenge after a decade serving as a reghter and paramedic in Kalamazoo, Michigan when he decided to volunteer with some local farms. During this time, he “got pretty close with the oxen and established a relationship” which clinched his future calling. “I’ve had more of a kinship with animals, or been more connected with animals versus people,” Dietrick says. Two years ago, after training in large animal veterinary medicine in New Zealand, Dietrich and his Canadian partner Megan Taylor settled in the Cariboo – they wanted to be near the mountains – and Dietrich got his rst job as a veterinarian at the Animal Care Hospital of Williams Lake. A shortage of vets everywhere means Dietrick often does double duty, caring for both companion and production animals in a coverage area that stretches from Bella Coola to Cache Creek. Much of his time, he says, is spent on local hobby farms as more people move from the city to the country. “Out here we don’t really get a choice to be a small animal vet or a horse vet or a large animal vet. We run the gamut,” he says. “You will go trim the hoof of a sheep or goat and then do a dental oat on horse and see if their cow’s pregnant, all in a day. It’s kind of nice because there is a lot of variety.” BC chief veterinarian Dr. Theresa Burns says Dietrick’s situation is common in rural areas, where it’s harder to recruit large animal veterinarians because the work can be more demanding and isolated, and it may be dicult for their spouses to nd jobs. And, unlike the Lower Mainland, vets often drive for hours to help with calving or other issues and don’t have easy access to specialists. “Vets are working hard to provide these services but sometimes they don’t make a lot of money for the practice,” Burns says. “It can even cost the practice money.” A report in 2018 indicated an additional 200 vets were needed in BC over the following two years – and the problem continues to escalate. Last year, a survey by the BC Cattlemen’s Association found the ratio of large animals to veterinarians working in large or mixed animal practices in the Lower Mainland was between 3,000 and 3,500 animals per veterinarian. The ratio jumps to between 7,700 and 8,900 animals per veterinarian in rural and Northern BC. Dietrich estimates there are only about a half dozen large animal vets in his coverage area, and the demand for services keeps growing. “Most of the issues that pop up with large-animal work can’t be scheduled or get in really quick for a look-see,” he says. “We have to try to t it into a regular day that’s already full of appointments and that can be grueling at times.” Dr. Cori Stephen, a vet at Nechako Valley Animal Health Services in Vanderhoof and director of the Society of BC Veterinarians, says her clinic has implemented telemedicine services for farm calls. The clinic does “tele-triage” by email or producers can send in videos and photos so the vets don’t have to leave their clinic to drive an hour to see one cow – unless, of course, it’s for calving or other issues where they need to be on site. If their one large animal vet is on a farm emergency, Stephen adds, many of their other clients will be left without a vet. Plus, the job is hard on the body; Stephen suered a herniated disc while performing a caesarean on a range heifer. “Every rural community north of Hope that has cattle would benet from having a veterinarian,” she says. “The further you get away from the Lower Mainland, the more dicult it is to nd those veterinarians to help you.” Burns says the ministry is doing what it can to bring up the numbers. It recently doubled the number of seats it funds at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, and this summer launched a new veterinary student and veterinary technician program, subsidized by the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Some 21 students participated in 17 practices across the province. “The idea is if they come there as students and maybe come back the next summer (and) get to know the community, get to know the practice, a lot of those students are more likely to come to that practice when they graduate,” Burns says. “We’re trying to do some of that work to establish those relationships and also allow students to get a view into that practice, and if it’s a good t for them and what they would need to make it sustainable.” She says the ministry is consulting rural municipalities and producers over the next few months and expects to release some new incentives. One option is to tap into the potential pool of veterinarians who have come from other countries and may want to practice in a rural area. She says a recent survey conducted by the province found veterinarians cited one of the main reasons for becoming involved in large animal medicine was because they cared about animal health and welfare, as well as healthy food production and the producers in their communities. Dietrick agrees with those sentiments. “It can be quite hard but for me it’s the moments you have – whether it’s a hard case you ipped around and they are doing really great now, or the meaningful conversation with the animal’s owner,” he says. “There are just those moments you get where it’s like ‘that’s denitely worth sticking around for.’” BCHA President Kym Jim 403-358-8935 BCHA Secretary Janice Tapp 250-699-6466 www.bchereford.ca MMORE POUNDS, , MORE CALVES, , MORE PROFITIT Herefords are known as the eciency experts Used in a crossbreeding system Herefords boost pregnancy rates by 7% and add $30 a head in feedlot profit Hybrid Vigor, Longevity and Disposition
22 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCUnlimited HourPowertrain Warranty0%FinancingCASHBack OffersWE DIG DIRTRangeland Equipment Ltd Cranbrook B.C. 250-426-0600 Timberstar Tractor Vernon B.C. 250-545-5441 Harbour City Equipment Duncan B.C. 778-422-3376Matsqui Ag Repair Abbotsford B.C. 604-826-3281 Northern Acreage Supply Prince George B.C. 250-596-2273*Cannot be combined with any other offer. Rebates and/or financing based on the purchase of eligible equipment defined in promotional program. Additional fees including, but not limited to, taxes, freight, setup and delivery charges may apply. Customers must take delivery prior to the end of the program period. Some customers will not qualify. Some restrictions apply. Unlimited Hour Warranty available only on non-commercial use. Offer available on new equipment only. Pricing and rebates in Canadian dollars. Prior purchases are not eligible. Offer valid only at participating Dealers. Offer subject to change without notice. See your dealer for details. © 2022 DAEDONG CANADA, INC. KIOTI CANADA.
Ranchers to benefit from handheld water testersProvincially funded devices to be operational by next year Kevin Boon says hand-held water monitors can help protect cattle from water-borne illness. | BC CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATIONCOUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 23ATTENTION: VANCOUVER ISLANDCATTLE PRODUCERSTo purchase parts or oilers call us, and be directed to your nearest Vancouver Island distributor.CURRENTLY SEEKING SALES DISTRIBUTORS FOR THE LOWER MAINLAND.TOM WALKER KAMLOOPS – With hotter summers and recurring drought conditions, the quality of livestock water in BC is under pressure. “With the heat and the drought we have been experiencing, we are seeing more growth of blue-green algae in stagnant water,” says BC Cattlemen’s Association (BCCA) general manager Kevin Boon. “The BCRC [BC Research Council] is leading an awareness program for water quality and part of that is testing.” BCCA has purchased eight hand-held Pro 30 Conductivity Meters from US instrument company YSI to help producers test their water and track quality with the nancial assistance from the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Each unit is about $3,000. According to the BCRC, beef cows need between nine and 21 gallons of water a day. Good water helps raise good cows. The quantity and quality of water an animal drinks aects feed intake, as well as the absorption of other nutrients and overall animal productivity, including weight gain, milk production and fertility. Summer evaporation concentrates water chemistry, and hot days can lead to the formation of toxins in the water. The objective is to make sure water is safe for all livestock, Boon says. “If we are keeping track, monitoring the water, it helps assure the public as well,” he notes. BCCA has been working on the project for about three months and purchased the machines on BCRC’s recommendation. The units are about the size of a cell phone, with a cable attached to a wand. “There is about 30 feet of cable, so you can throw it out in the middle of your dugout if you want,” Boon says. The meters could be located in auction marts, regional association oces or farm supply stores across the province, based on producer feedback. Sta will be trained to do the calibration and testing, and the units will be available to producers by next year. “We will be dispersing them around the province to dierent areas where people can bring their water samples in to be tested., Boon says. “The machines will be able to do preliminary tests on the water and if there are issues, the water can be sent away for further testing.” Water quality for livestock is part of a national initiative led by the BCRC. Boon says there is a lot of value in water testing. “We have had instances in the past where we have seen 10 or 15 cows go down due to contaminated water,” he notes. “These machines are a rapid screening test. When we start to see that heat, especially in water that is not moving, we can do some preventative measures and save some cows. It is well worthwhile. Actually, if you save one cow, you’ve paid for the machine.” HEIFER CALVES, BRED HEIFERS, EXPORTABLE EMBRYOSDon & Leslie Richardson Oce: 250 - 557 - 4348 Cell: 250 - 566 - 5114 don@richardsonranch.ca www.richardsonranch.ca Join us on www.dlms.ca Soft close Sat, Sept 21, 7PM , BC time1515th A Annunnualal Onlilinene Sale Sale September 20 –21, 2024 Sign up for FREE!FARM NEWS UPDATES countrylifeinbc.com
24 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCA mouthful of good hay is easier to come by this year but stocks remain low. | RAFTER H RANCHPROGRAM CONTACT:Email: hay@cattlemen.bc.caCall or text: 250.306.6277ACCESS TOFEEDAVAILABLETO ALL LIVESTOCKPRODUCERSThis program is intendedto link producersexperiencing droughtand feed shortages withsuppliers who have feedavailable. REACH OUT TO US IF YOU HAVE FEED AVAILABLE We will need:Type of hay and quality Bale type & size Equipment to unloadAbility to handle a b-train or step-deck deliveryYour contact information & locationKATE AYERS HUDSON’S HOPE – The outlook for feed is good this season, a year after the BC Cattlemen’s Association (BCCA) launched its Access to Feed program with provincial support. While the Peace Region was at drought levels 3 and 4 in mid August, this year’s grass and hay crops are doing better than last year, according to Emma Hodson of Hudson’s Hope’s Rafter H Ranch. “If you put hay up when it was ripe, there wasn’t much, but we had late rain so the grazing is doing nicely, or if you hay late, I think you’d do alright,” she says. Hodson and her husband Logan manage 100 bison and 50 horses on 1,000 acres. BCCA general manager Kevin Boon says BC is close to an average hay crop this year. “We are seeing [more] consistent crops throughout the province,” he says. “The Peace is probably again one of the hardest hit, if not the hardest hit for hay, but they are getting some crops o and it’s coming in.” The big production areas, including the Nechako, Skeena and Highway 16 corridor, typically export hay but did not have any to sell last year. Whether or not this year’s average season delivers a surplus to help replenish hay stocks will depend on whether producers get a third cut or if the province shuts down irrigators like it did last year. “It’s that third cut that is not taken yet that is hanging in the balance for irrigated land,” Boon says. This year, the rst and only cut in dryland areas had average or above-average yields and Boon expects producers in those regions will have hay for sale. However, few producers have been in contact with Access to Feed to oer excess hay. “Until we start to see hay get cut, we’re not going to see anything that we can match people up with, and then even after that, [it will be] the second and third cuts before they start understanding whether they’re going to have excess out there,” Boon explains. In August, some hay was listed as available in the Peace River, Thompson and Okanagan. “We don’t green up until May, so one cut is standard. There is lots [of hay] for sale but it’s getting bought pretty fast,” Hodson says. “I’m still seeing neighbours buying and shipping hay from outside our area.” Producers looking to sell or buy hay can go to BCCA’s website to get an idea of the inventory in their regions. Then, a coordinator will match producers without feed with a supplier. The Access to Feed program, led by the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food and BCCA, launched July 25, 2023. BCCA worked with the BC Grain Producers, BC Dairy Association, BC Forage Council and BC Horse Council to search out feed domestically and internationally. The province provided $150,000 to BCCA to support the program last year but just $35,000 was required. As a result, $50,000 was allocated to the program this year, with an additional $300,000 allocated to Livestock Drought Management Workshops. Feed available but stocks low as drought continuesLate-season rains boost grazing potential Helping you grow your business. you ours.
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 25Tsq̓éscen̓ First Nations aim to grow food securityProduction integral to well-being and economic developmentDorian Christopher, farm manager at Broken Rock Ranch, says the long hours building up local food production for the Canim Lake Band are worth it. | SUBMITTEDProducer Check-o Supports Beef Industry Projects.www.cattlefund.net 1.877.688.2333www.cattlefund.net 1.877.688.2333email: audreycifca@gmail.com395 Kinchant Street, Quesnel, B.C. V2J 5A3Producers can apply for an advance on calves, yearlings, lambs, bison, forage and grain up to $1,000,000.00 with the rst $250,000.00 being interest free. Plus, interest relief through the Advance Payments Program is available to association members on their feeder cattle purchases.KELLY SINOSKI 100 MILE HOUSE – Dorian Christopher has returned to the land as part of an eort to create food security for his people at Tsq̓éscen̓ First Nation (Canim Lake Band). Christopher, 41, is the farm manager of Broken Rock Ranch, a former commercial cabbage farm that was converted this spring into a sustainable food hub to support the nation’s 426 community members living on the nearby reserve lands on Canim-Hendrix Road, about 32 kilometres from 100 Mile House. Tsq̓éscen̓, through its economic arm Spelqweqs Development Corp., partnered this spring with Sustainable Food Security, an Alberta-based consulting group dedicated to improving food security across Canada, to build a 33-foot geodesic greenhouse, a 25x50-foot hoophouse, outdoor gardens and a food forest on the land. “We’re growing what the community wants: potatoes, carrots, whatever we can use as staples,” says Christopher, who recently completed his horticultural studies at Thompson Rivers University. “We’re doing our best just getting everything in the ground. We don’t know what grows in this climate right now, this hardiness zone … It’s just experimentation to see what catches, what’s going to survive. We’re considering this a pilot project right now.” Tsq̓éscen̓ First Nation is among several Indigenous communities, including the Esk'etemc and the Stswecem’c Xget’tem, who are beneting from increased provincial funding for food sovereignty, food security and Indigenous-led agriculture. The province launched its $30 million Indigenous Food Sovereignty Program last year to support more sustainable food production and enhance participation in the agriculture and food sectors for Indigenous communities and businesses by building infrastructure such as greenhouses, irrigation systems, community gardens and food storage. Funding is also available to support a range of activities, such as boosting Indigenous-owned food and agriculture operations, community food security planning and projects, and climate change adaptation projects. Raygan Solotki, who founded Sustainable Food Security after working with organizations such as the Green Iglu charity in Toronto, helped to construct the new buildings and provided Tsq̓éscen̓ with a 30-page proposal and recommendations, including adding a café or farmers market to serve the region and tourists. Marcia Dixon is also developing a compost program. “We’ve also got some ideas to become a wellness centre or tourism hub we’re looking into with the nation. It’s up to them how they’d like to be supported,” Solotki says, adding the farm could also provide on-the-land learning and high school credits for students at the Eliza Archie Memorial School. “The kids would love to have a café, sell their art and crocheting,” she says. “There’s a lot of opportunity for that space. Even just a few dollars here and there is really going to help the community bring in some of the economic driving force.” Christopher says he loves the idea of a café and cultural teachings on site and plans to work with the school to create a horticulture program for the students, many of whom came down during construction to “get their hands dirty and plant.” “There’s a lot of interest in getting the youth up to par and get them growing because it is life. We’ve got to know where our food comes from, how it’s grown, how it is produced and packaged,” he says. “Its important to have this because when disasters happen around us or when our food gets cut o from the Interior or from the coast, it takes less than 24 hours for our shelves to clean out. It means a lot to me because I don’t want to take away from the grocers, but I want to know we can produce our own food.” Christopher says he recently harvested his rst broccoli plants, giving them to the wellness centre to distribute. He plans to reach out to other producers such as Desert Hills to gure out how to order in bulk and distribute the produce while two other workers, such as Jojo Dick and April Truran, are looking to bring in a couple of milk cows and chickens to add small businesses to the mix. Any other expansions are reliant on resources and volunteers, he says, which are in short supply. “It is a tough job; it is ground zero,” he says, but adds that it’s worth it. “Anything that ties back to our traditions as a First Nation, that’s what I want to contribute to and be that leader who shows up, who is the last one to leave. I just want to give back.” Solotkis says Broken Rock Ranch has huge potential, both for the local community and tourists who travel to the area for its pristine wilderness camping and clear lakes. She maintains the success of the program depends on having locally hired people like Christopher to take the reins. “Those values are what their nation upholds as part of their overall band. They’re passionate about their lands, they’re passionate about their people,” she says. “This is an opportunity to do what’s right for them.”
26 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCCOMBINATION.POWER & UTILITY:AN UNBEATABLE New Holland PowerStar™ Series tractors are the ideal blend of power and utility. Five models from 65 to 100 PTO horsepower are built to handle jobs in the back field, the barnyard, and everywhere in between. You’ll do it all with ease and comfort in the spacious VisionView™ cab with best-in-class visibility and the ergonomic Command Arc console. Choose between a 2WD or 4WD front axle, a transmission with a mechanical or power shuttle, and loads of factory-installed loader options to suit your needs.Put the combination of power and utility to work in a new PowerStar™ Series tractor. Stop in today or visit newholland.com.ARMSTRONG HORNBY EQUIPMENT ACP 250-546-3033 CHILLIWACK ROLLINS MACHINERY LTD 604-792-1301 CHEMAINUS ROLLINS MACHINERY LTD 250-246-1203 FORT ST JOHN BUTLER FARM EQUIPMENT LTD 250-785-1800 KELOWNA ROLLINS MACHINERY LTD 250-765-8266 LANGLEY ROLLINS MACHINERY LTD 604-533-0048 WILLIAMS LAKE GRASSLAND EQUIPMENT LTD 250-392-4024 VANDERHOOF GRASSLAND EQUIPMENT LTD 250-567-4446© 2022 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.Decades of delivering great service in the Peace Country. 9008 - 107 Street, Fort St John 250-785-1800 butlerfarmequipment.ca
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 27Efficiency is king as drought levels rise across BC Maximize water uptake when irrigatingSimple adjustments and regular maintenance to travelling guns and other irrigation equipment can ensure efcient, responsible water use throughout the season. | WATERTECFarm & Rural ResidentialProperties in the Peace Country are our specialtyAnne H. ClaytonMBA, P App AACI, RIAppraiserJudi LeemingBHE, P App CRAAppraiser250.782.1088info@aspengrovepropertyservices.ca www.aspengrovepropertyservices.caOFFERING MARKETING, BUYING & TRANSPORTATION.OUR ADVANTAGESLess Shrink with Less ExpenseLicensed & BondedWe Buy and Sell with Integrityj Proud Member of LMAC iLIVESTOCK PRODUCERS IN BC SELL & TRANSPORT YOUR CATTLE THROUGHMOUNTAIN LIVESTOCK MARKETING ASSOCIATIONMembersWe have extensive knowledge of buyer and seller needs. Contact our friendly local livestock professionals today.BC LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS CO-OPKamloops 250.573.3939 Williams Lake 250.398.7174Vanderhoof 250.567.4333 OK Falls 250.497.5416Canart Cattle Company Kamloops 250.573.5605Ellis Cattle Co. Chilliwack, BC 604.309.5355VJV, Dawson Creek 250.782.3766Miane Creek Livestock Armstrong 250.558.9408Contact MLMA 1.250.314.9686KATE AYERS COURTENAY – Vancouver Island entered drought Level 5 on August 15, putting irrigation and water management top of mind for producers. About 10 growers attended a forage irrigation eld day at Lloydshaven Holsteins in Courtenay on August 16 facilitated by Bruce Naka of the Irrigation Industry Association of BC. “It was a very informative and excellent eld day,” Naka says. “[Lloydshaven Holsteins] has a highly, highly ecient system and they utilize every drop of water. In most instances, water is used up to three times.” Water is used to wash barns, incorporated into manure slurry or used for irrigation. Naka says Lloydshaven also collects and uses rainwater that runs o the buildings’ roofs. “It was very impressive,” he says. With summer rainfall becoming more unpredictable and the province tightening regulation of water use, producers must prioritize water use eciency, Naka says. Best management practices can ensure growers get the most out of their irrigation systems and optimize plant growth. While the optimal amount of water largely depends on the crop and weather, forages on the Island typically require 24 inches (61 centimetres) of water a year, Naka says. “The crop is going to be predicating how much water you require,” he says, noting rooting depth is a key variable. “If you have alfalfa, for example, it's got a four-foot active root zone, but grasses would be two feet at the most.” Producers can improve the eciency of any irrigation system, Naka says. “It doesn't necessarily mean that you have to go to the most expensive, the most elaborate [system] in order to achieve that,” he says. “With any system, we should probably assess it, look at how it could be improved.” Drip irrigation is typically the most ecient irrigation system but forage producers seldom use it, Naka says. Centre pivots are also ecient but expensive. Fortunately, adjustments to travelling gun and wheel line systems can improve eciency, including optimizing water pressure, pipe diameter and nozzle size. Maintenance is key Regular maintenance ensures irrigation systems are ready to go when needed, so producers should dedicate some time for necessary repairs in the o-season. “It's always better to do maintenance of the system at the end of the year or before the start of the next season because you want all of that equipment to be ready,” Naka says. “If you have a pumping system, depending on how much turbidity is in the water, you might want to take your pumps out and service the seals, look at the impellers. Any leaks should be all xed.” On the water management side, producers who grow forage crops with deep root systems can proactively irrigate to avoid playing catch-up during the heat of summer. “If the water is available, we could probably look at starting our irrigation season earlier. In other words, you can ll up your root zone prior to the need,” Naka says. For example, Island growers could start irrigating in late April or early May to provide adequate moisture in the root zone. “Then when you get into a heat dome, all you're going to have to do with your irrigation system is just make up the dierence of the water that was used in the course of that day, make up for the evapotranspiration,” Naka says. Also, producers can use moisture-sensing equipment to ensure crops are adequately watered. “We suggest installing soil Micromanage u
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QID#31465044 1025R w/loader1-877-553-3373WWW.PCE.CA1025R WITH LOADERmoisture sensors at two depths, depending on the crop, one shallow and the other one deeper at the bottom end of the active root zone of the plant,” Naka says. “That way you can micromanage your whole system.” Irrigate for yield Overall, growers need to ensure they have water available for the crops and acreage in production in the rst years of crop establishment and when it matures. “You could get by in the rst year or two, but you’ve got to keep in mind the amount of water that you're going to need on a mature crop and ensure that you have that much water in order to do it,” Naka says. “If you don't, you should maybe consider planting a little bit less acreage and … irrigate it properly, increase your yield and then the bottom line will be closer.” August also saw Naka facilitate agriculture water storage eld days in Cowichan and Comox as part of the province’s regional extension program to support Islands and Sunshine Coast farms adapt to drought conditions. One day, I am going to have to train other people to operate our Grimme SE-75 potato harvester. It’s a looming, inevitable, gargantuan task that will involve me giving up control and likely losing my sense of humour. I’m thinking it might be something to avoid as long as possible. Dad and I have been training ourselves to operate the monstrous thing since it arrived on the farm several years ago. We trade tips and tricks with one another, and we both love it. These days I do most of the driving, leaving him free to run bins and do jobs with the other tractor. He drives if I need to join the harvester crew in especially heavy digging situations, or if we are short on people. It’s hard for me to be out of the driver’s seat. Situated up on the sorting table, I can still hear and feel the workings of the machine and tractor, so I am acutely aware of what’s likely happening from the driver’s perspective. If I don’t sense the adjustments are being made exactly how I would do it, I get quite twitchy. The bunker feeder arm is a good example. It is meant to automatically rise in concert with the pile of potatoes but in practice it jumps the gun. From the cab, as the operator, I keep tabs and nudge the control lever to get it back down to optimum height. If Dad does the nudging a few split seconds later than I would, I spend that time impatiently waiting for him to make the adjustment. I am sure it irritates him when he notices that I am fussing over the bunker arm instead of getting dirt o the potato chain. The thing is, I am used to Dad’s operational style, and I am condent that we are going to get through the eld without incident. He’s an excellent operator. Far, far better than anyone else, other than me. I am the best. I shudder, frankly, at the thought of having to experience anyone else bumbling around with the controls. The pressure is building to allow others to have a go, however, and I am going to have to gure out how to train them. There are three candidates in the next generation with a fourth coming in strong. The niece is well distracted trying to pass her driving test but the other three are inexorably weaseling their way into the tractor cab and won’t be denied for long. I might start by explaining that nothing should hold your gaze for more than a few seconds and that there is a list of things to glance at while moving. That list includes: front right tractor tire, left harvester tire, intake roller, intake chain, bunker feeder arm height and speed, and the activity level of visible people. Your head is on a swivel and your eyes cycle through the list, hand poised on the electronic control levers ready for adjustments. The cell phone is notably not included on this list. Will this advice land? I don’t know. Perhaps if I mention that all my signicant mistakes as an operator have occurred when I was looking in one direction too long and all hell was breaking out elsewhere. From there, we’d move on to topics like maneuvering into the row and turning around in tight quarters, traveling back to the barn with the bunker arm fully extended and three tons of potatoes aecting everything, and dealing with so much dust you can’t even see the intake. Training other operators is clearly going to be a patience-testing, character-building and dangerously humourless experience. Deep, inner peace and acceptance of potential chaos is required. I’ll get Dad to train them. Problem solved. Anna Helmer farms in the Pemberton Valley and has been exposed as a frustrated total control freak. Farm succession begins with the harvesterFarm Story ANNA HELMERContenders for the driver’s seat are coming in strong
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 29Taking your safety program to the next level?Certificate ofSAFETYCORRecognitionYou may already be on the path to COR.Contact AgSafe to find out!Serving the Okanagan and Fraser Valley We’ve been proudly family owned and operated since opening in 1976. And with two blending plants, we’re one of BC’s largest distributors of granular, liquid and foliar fertilizers. Our buying power and proximity to the Fraser Valley makes us the logical choice for truckload shipments. OKANAGAN FERTILIZER LTD 1-800-361-4600 or 250-838-6414PETER MITHAM NANAIMO – A suite of courses set to launch this fall at Vancouver Island University promises to give new farmers the basics needed to manage their operations. “It’s about building science literacy,” says Jenny Horn, who is overseeing program development at VIU. VIU, the lead institution for the agriculture special interest group of the Continuing Education and Training Association of BC (CETA BC), coordinated the development of materials for three courses addressing sustainable soils management, agroecology and organic vegetable seed production. The soils and seed courses were funded by CETA BC, while agroecology was funded by the BC Ministry of Post-Secondary and Future Skills. Billed as microcredential courses, the eight-week courses oer online lectures and in-person eld days. Participants receive a certicate of completion at the end, similar to other continuing education courses. But rather than continuing education, the courses are meant to lay a foundation for growers who may not have had any previous training in agriculture. While eld days organized by the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food and producer organizations are good, many farmers can’t reap the full benets because of specic knowledge gaps. “I’ve been to a lot of eld days where you can tell the farmers and the people that are attending are just being talked right over; they don’t get it because they don’t understand the science,” says Horn, whose career began in extension services in the 1970s. “If you … have the fundamental sciences to really understand what it is you’re being presented with to make your own management decisions … the next time you go to an extension event in your region, you’re going to get a lot more out of it.” The gap was one the agriculture interest group within CETA BC recognized, and felt needed to be lled through a series of courses which could be oered province-wide. “They know that their farming communities are looking for professional development and education, skill development opportunities,” she says of CETA BC. “This is a way for them to collectively meet their needs and really extend that reach out into all corners of the province.” The soils course is set to be piloted to a group of 15 students between September 15 and November 3, with the aim of giving students “a fundamental understanding of soil science and a new appreciation of soil as a complex community of living beings that exist in physical, chemical, biological and social environments.” The cost is $906, but is eligible for a Future Skills grant from the province, which provides $3,500 for continuing education to BC adults. This would cover the entire cost, as well as the fee for the agroecology oering ($1,024) and seeds ($680). Students will prepare a soil management plan to assist in implementing the concepts, principles and practices from the course. This fall’s pilot oering will provide valuable feedback that will help Horn rene the curriculum prior to general release for use by all post-secondary institutions in BC later next year. Pilots of the courses on agroecology and organic vegetable seed production will follow in November, January and February prior to being made available to post-secondary institutions. The seeds course will also be available nationally through SeedChange, a national charity that works with Canadian farmers through the Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security in partnership with FarmFolk/CityFolk in BC. The courses are part of a new approach to agricultural extension in BC, which sees the value in post-secondary institutions facilitating knowledge transfer and skills development. The microcredential courses are not taught by university faculty, but rather by people already engaged in outreach and extension work. “Each college or university that adopts the curriculum can choose their own instructor, but the instructors typically are not coming out of the academic stream; they’re typically community-based instructors,” Horn explains. These may include agrologists, horticultural technicians, retired professors and others who are familiar to the farm community and have their respect. The agriculture ministry is also keen on the program, because it ensures farmers have the skills needed to reap the benets of government programs. “You can go and do an Environmental Farm Plan and you can look at Benecial Management Practices, but if you don’t understand soil as a community of living beings, you don’t get the same benet from the programs the ministry oers,” Horn says. The province's agriculture ministry is supportive of the initiative, and Horn says every eort has been made to ensure the courses align with ministry priorities. The courses also give farmers the tools needed to think critically about what they’re learning online and from other farmers – who may know what works for them, but not always why. “I’ve been to eld days where there’s been really bad advice given because you’re listening to the farmer [but] it doesn’t mean the farmer knows what they’re doing,” she says. “Now I have a better lter and a screen when I go on the Internet, when I attend a eld day, when I talk to my neighbour.” Horn believes the deployment of quick, aordable coursework combined with two in-person eld days to give people hands-on experience with the concepts presented to them will serve growers of all abilities well. “We don’t really know what this new model of extension is going to look like in Canada,” she says. “[But] we’re lling the gaps. 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30 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCuufuE (Tax forms and BC Farmers’ Food Donation Tax Credit information provided by https://www2.gov.bc.ca)Craig EdwardsGF
Noah (left), Elisabeth and Finn Bond are pursuing a business model they believe is sustainable for themselves, their property and their community. | JOLLITY FARMAdditional space uCOUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 31www.hlaattachments.com 1-866-567-4162 TRACEY FREDRICKSON THETIS ISLAND – When Elisabeth and Noah Bond bought the only vineyard on Thetis Island in 2014, they looked forward to uncorking a new phase of life in the wine industry. “We were always into food and sustainability, but really hadn’t grown food before,” says Elisabeth. “We thought it would be cool to have a vineyard!” In reality, too many grapes had been planted on the 10-acre property, but not enough to be nancially viable. After two years working the vineyard, the couple turned their attention to growing food as Jollity Farm. Living on an island with less than 400 residents, many of whom made regular ferry trips to Vancouver Island to stock up on food and supplies, the Bonds realized they could help improve food security on Thetis if they could grow more food. Elisabeth, a graphic designer and artist, and Noah, a former draftsman and painter, were aware of co-operatives through their involvement with artist collectives, shared land ownership and co-op housing. Through Jollity Farm they pursued a food co-op model with two other local farms where members would pool their resources and share labour, marketing and distribution tasks. The new Thetis Island Farm Co-operative would ensure produce could be purchased at a fair price, and any excess food could be made into value-added products. The couple’s vision for an agricultural co-op was supported by the Federal Investment Readiness Program, which helps social purpose organizations overcome barriers to accessing nancing. Education and training for co-op members was provided through credit union Vancity, and the Canadian Worker Co-op Federation provided development and technical support. As the co-op was preparing to launch, however, COVID-19 emerged and the initiative was put on hold. The couple purchased a van and refocused their eorts on a delivery program to help local residents get their food and supplies. “It kept the farm operating during COVID,” Bond points out. A pause after the pandemic gave co-op directors and members time to realign their goals and visions. Meanwhile, the Bonds’ son Finn, who had moved away and trained to be a mechanic, returned to Jollity in 2021 to support his parents in growing the farm. “The fact that Finn came back to work with us after never showing any interest in farming – it was the succession plan many farmers hope for,” Bond says. Summer 2023 was a major turning point. The family could see their market garden model on a small island would never be protable enough to create three income streams. This prompted them to look for ways to reach more customers. When Nic’s Café, a well-known café and bookstore near the Chemainus ferry terminal came up for sale, the Bonds acted quickly. “We had dreamed of having a little Chemainus farm shop, but in the past when vacant storefronts became available for rent, the numbers just didn’t work,” says Bond. “Nic’s had a commercial kitchen to process value-added foods and a great location close to the Chemainus ferry that runs ve times a day to Thetis and Penelakut Islands. This meant fresh food could easily be transported and potentially available at both the farm and the café.” On purchasing the café, the Bonds renovated the shop with commercial equipment and stocked the fridges and shelves with food from their farm and those of others. Every week, they travel from Thetis Island to the Saanich Peninsula, making as many as 20 stops at small-scale farms Gulf Island entrepreneurs eye food securityThetis Island farm co-op goes off-island
32 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCJollity Farm yields a bounty of produce that is sold at farmers markets as well as at its new storefront and café in Chemainus. | JOLLITY FARMSu Additional space securedBAUMALIGHT.COMAdair Sales & Marketing Company Inc. | 306-773-0996 | info@adairreps.comMFG OF MINI SKID STEERS AND A VARIETY OF ATTACHMENTS INCLUDINGTREE SPADES | TREE SAWS & SHEARS | BOOM MOWERS | PTO POWER PACKSBRUSH MULCHERS | ROTARY BRUSH CUTTERS | PTO GENERATORS | AUGER DRIVES | FLAIL MOWERSTREE PULLERS | FELLER BUNCHERS | EXCAVATOR ADAPTERS | SCREW SPLITTERS | TRENCHERS | STUMP GRINDERSLocate A Dealer Onlineand artisan food producers to pick up products. “If a local artisan comes to us with a product that has an agriculture connection – soap made from wild-harvested ingredients, or wool dyed with locally grown owers – we will look at carrying it,” Bond says. Recently they secured additional space next to the café, doubling the room available for seating and retail products. They also installed a certied processing kitchen on the farm to increase production of value-added products such as washed salad greens, pickles and preserves. Finn has been ocially installed as lead farmer and farm hand. Elisabeth is farm administrator in charge of managing orders, marketing and communication, and Noah is responsible for systems and maintenance. Noah also manages the ow of a rotational grazing and rearing program in partnership with a local family, volunteer farm workers and co-op members raising livestock. The Jollity Farm Co-operative was ocially registered in April 2024, becoming separate from the Thetis Island Farm Co-operative. The main dierence between the two is that the Jollity Farm Co-op is a for-prot, family-based social enterprise focused on growing produce and creating value-added foods. The Thetis Island co-op is a non-prot focussed on meeting the unique needs and food security challenges on Thetis Island. “I think the simplicity of our smaller model is part of our success,” Elisabeth says. The Jollity Farm Market & Café’s regular customers include plenty of seniors who stop in to enjoy nutritious food made from seasonal local ingredients, and frozen ready-made take-home meals like soups and stews. Nothing goes to waste in this kitchen. The Jollity co-op model is not all about food, however. The couple provides mentoring to young farmers starting up on Thetis. They also oer a prot-sharing option where Jollity pays new operators as they raise their own animals to provide some nancial relief as their ventures get going. It has also been innovative with its growing methods. In 2021, the farm retrotted its 100-square-foot greenhouse with an aquaponics system to reduce water use and grow lettuce year-round. “It’s amazing to grow so much lettuce without worrying about drought,” says Bond. With support from the Environmental Farm Plan and the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC, Jollity also received funding to create larger and improved ponds and watering systems. The farm has structural designs for an agrivoltaic system, a technique still in its infancy where crops and/or livestock are grown under solar panels that protect them from excessive heat and reduce evaporation. Jollity is looking at working with other co-ops to design and build agrivoltaic structures that co-op members would invest in. Jollity Farm has evolved from the vineyard the Bonds originally bought, and the changes continue. “By the time we complete the expansion of the two retail spaces in Chemainus we will have found our life balance: running a sustainable venture, generating a living wage, and inspiring others to do the same,” says Bond. “We do better together.”
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 33Creston Valley crop losses hit local food hard Farmers market, food hub lose suppliersDave Mutch of William Tell Family Estate displays apples damaged by July’s heat wave. The bare patch of hillside over his shoulder, just below his grapevines, once held peach and plum trees killed by January’s cold snap. | BRIAN LAWRENCEEinbock Tillage Equipment For Organic FarmingEconomical Reliable Low Maintenance Safe and Proven Order now for guaranteed next season delivery.Tine Weeders Row Crop CultivatorsRotary Hoes Camera GuidanceSystemsOrder now forguaranteed next season delivery.DELTA Drain Tile CleanersImproves Drainage & Conditions SoilEmail us today at: info@reimersfarmservices.comAdvanced Silage Corn Management BRIAN LAWRENCE CRESTON – This year’s weather has blown hot and cold for Creston Valley farmers, who have suered signicant crop losses due to the changes and diminished local food security. In January, spring-like warmth caused soft fruit buds, such as peach, apricot, plum and cherry, to emerge, but a deep freeze followed, killing the buds with temperatures that dipped to -27.2° C. While growers held out faint hope for their few remaining cherries, a record-breaking heat spell pushed temperatures to 37.8° C on July 21, rendering the maturing fruit sunburnt and unusable. The loss has resulted in an unusually quiet Creston Valley Farmers Market. By midsummer, soft fruit and cherry producers usually join early crop producers, boosting the weekly vendors to nearly 60. This year, the number was in the range of 40-50. “We’re not seeing fruit producers jump in to ll those gaps,” says Tanya Wall, executive director for the Creston Valley Food Action Coalition, which runs the market. “We’re not seeing the abundance because there is no product.” In previous years, Dave Mutch would sell peaches at the market, alongside his William Tell Family Estate cider, vinegars and wine spritzers, but he pulled out 1.5 acres of plum and peach trees killed by the cold – and then lost about 70% of his apple crop to scabby, sunburned skin. “This year, you didn’t have to gamble – it was done for you,” he says. Mutch and the vineyards supplying Creston’s wineries also lost this year’s grapes, though Mutch expects his Pinot Noir vines to produce a crop next year. With this year’s cider production limited, he appreciates the BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch’s decision to waive the 4,500-litre production requirement for licensees in 2024. There’s no safety net for others, such as Marar Orchard, which grows 40 acres of vegetables. July’s heat wave saddled co-owner Kiran Sandhu with the expense of pulling out some crops and re-sowing others. Business at the farm’s roadside stand is down about 80% from 2023, driven by the loss of 70 acres of cherries and smaller quantities of peaches, apricot and prune plums. Creston is a popular spot for Kootenay day-trippers to pick up fresh fruit. To prevent disappointment for those who may not be aware of the crop loss, a few fruit stands imported soft fruit from elsewhere. But Sandhu says bringing in peaches, nectarines and plums from Ontario doesn’t wash with many customers, who really want Creston-grown fruit. “They’re so depressed,” she says. “They don’t want to buy anything when we don’t have it from here.” Sandhu employs migrant labour during the short harvest period, as do other cherry growers. But with no cherry harvest, the few hundred short-term workers who descend on the valley each summer aren’t contributing to the local economy. “Nobody is seeing the complete impact because nobody knows what that impact is going to be,” says Wall, noting that the loss is dicult to estimate. With little fruit to preserve for winter, she foresees an impact on local food security. Twenty-one organizations, including daycares, a women’s shelter and a food bank, rely on fruit distributed by Kootenay Farms Food Hub, run by the not-for-prot Fields Forward Society, where Wall is also executive director. The food hub oers farmers a facility to freeze-dry, juice and dehydrate produce. It also accepts donations from individuals, and through Fields Forward’s Harvest Share program, collects unused fruit and vegetables from residents’ gardens and orchards for redistribution to the community. This summer, the rst call about fruit needing to be harvested came in mid-August, a couple of months after Harvest Share is usually in full swing. Most of the summer’s donations have been vegetables, including lettuce, zucchini and cucumbers, which have a much shorter shelf life. The full eect of the winter weather will be felt for a few years, as farmers wait for replanted fruit trees to mature while hoping for stable weather. “But they’re optimistic,” says Wall. “Everyone is praying Mother Nature is kind moving forward.”
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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 351.604.363.8483FARMREALESTATE.COMGETAWAY FARM ID#1102430 • SICAMOUS, BCwSerenity and luxury overlooking Mara Lakew4 Bed, 3 bath home with a walkout basementwPaved driveway, 30’ x 45’ shop and hay shedwFishpond, nearby creek, and natural beautywCo-listed with Chase Westersund - LandQuest Realty Corp.HANK VAN HIERDEN REALTOR® 403.308.173739.3 ACRES39.3 ACRES$2,690,000$2,690,000VANCOUVER – It’s bittersweet when kids reach the end of their time with 4-H, and Mackenna Kerr had a lot of emotions at the PNE’s 4-H auction in Vancouver on August 19. Kerr’s 1,418-pound steer Diego, an Angus-Shorthorn cross, sold for $5.70 a pound and her 303-pound champion marketing hog sold for $10 a pound. “I’m over the moon with that,” she says about Diego’s sale price. It’s a fantastic result for any 4-H participant at the annual auction, but especially for Mackenna, who only entered BC’s 4-H program through the Pitt River Lamb, Beef and Swine Club about three years ago. She’d been participating in a number of other extracurricular activities like dancing and skating prior to that, so didn’t have time to join the program ocially, but she’d always had signicant exposure to 4-H through her family connection to the PNE. PNE fair operations director Christie Kerr is Mackenna’s mom. She’d formerly been the fair’s manager of agriculture and has stayed attached to the agriculture side of things. “She’s always been around the agriculture side,” Christie Kerr says of Mackenna. “She wanted to do it all in her last year.” And do it all she did. She’d had steer projects all three of her years in the 4-H program, but with 2024 being her last year, she also took on two hog projects and won champion market hog with one. Both mother and daughter were visibly emotional at the success Mackenna has had, especially in this, her nal 4-H year. Bailey Hastie, also in his last year of 4-H, took champion market steer with his 1,490-pound Charolais cross Captain. Captain was Hastie’s fth beef project with the Abbotsford 4-H Beef Club. Captain sold for $10.50 a pound and came with a $600 cut-and-wrap package from Bonetti Meats. A one-and-a-half-year-old Shorthorn named Todd was one of the smallest steers in the auction at just 1,019 pounds, but owner Camryn Howes was pleased he sold for $6 a pound. “He just never grew tall,” she says of the white and russet steer. “He’s a big eater, but he never grew much.” Another champion was the reserve grand champion steer of Caden Frank at 1,371 pounds, which sold for $6.75 a pound. Frank noted the steer had “an underdog start” to the year when he wasn’t putting on weight fast enough, but with the help of 4-H alumni and others in his circle, the steer was able to put on the weight and a great show for Frank’s sixth year in 4-H. Reserve champion market hog went to Elliot Blusson, selling for $4.75 a pound; Noah Sherwood had the champion market lamb, which sold for $14.50 a pound; Brydee Lea Brady’s reserve champion market lamb went for $11 a pound; Jennica Dykstra’s champion market goat sold for $10 a pound and Emme Hung’s reserve champion market goat sold for $8 a pound. A total of 104 animals were sold through the auction for a grand total of $334,056.75, an increase of $37,730 over sales in 2023. “We basically do it in order of their ranking,” says Tanya Schwaerzle, agriculture manager with the PNE, of the order the animals are placed in for showing at the auction. Sometimes the placement might be adjusted to avoid siblings showing their projects back-to-back. Goats, sheep and hogs were in the rst half of the event and steers made up the second half. Ken Pearson of Fraser Valley Auctions did the auctioneering. For 4-H kids, the PNE is the culmination of their 4-H livestock projects after raising them and showing them at numerous events. —Ronda Payne PNE is a family affair for 4-H membersTop left, Erin Donkersloot and Teddy from Pitt River Beef, Lamb & Sheep 4-H Club. Top right, Mackenna Kerr, also from the Pitt River club and Diego, with her mom, PNE operations manager Christie Kerr. Bottom: From the auction ring to the trailers, 4-H youth put their skills to work. | RONDA PAYNE
36 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCDelta prepares to take Kenneth for a ridethe wicker chairs and told him to have a seat, then said there was coffee made and she’d bring one out for him if he’d like. He offered to come inside and fix his own, but she said she’d prefer if he waited outside. She left him there, determined to leave as many twists in his trail as possible. She returned nearly 10 minutes later. Kenneth sipped his coffee and struggled to make a start. Eventually, he motioned to the climbing rose bush behind her. “The roses look nice. Are you fond of roses?” “Yes, they do and yes, I am. Why do you ask?” “No reason,” he said, wondering about the dozen he’d sent to her. “What’s on your mind Kenneth? I don’t think you came by to talk about the rose bush.” “Delta, I’m sorry about everything that happened and the way I am sometimes. I want to try to do better and be better than that. I don’t want to lose you.” “Alright, that’s a promising start, but here’s the problem: you’ve lost me already so what you really need to figure out is if and how you’re going to get me back.” “I’ll give anything for that,” he said. When we left off last time, everything was coming up roses, but not everyone was taking time to smell the flowers. Rural Redemption, Part 174, continues. Axl from the flower store shoved the $5 into his shirt pocket and peeled the wrapper off the SpongeBob popsicle. Lois asked Cam if he would watch the store for a few minutes because she had a dozen roses to deliver to Gladdie. Axl was still leaning against the flower truck when she got to the bottom of the stairs. “How’s that popsicle taste?” asked Lois. “Alright.” “Axl, I wonder if I could trouble you for a card to go with these roses?” “I wonder if I could trouble you for another $5?” Lois pulled out her phone. “Could I get you to slide over a foot or two?” “Why?” “Because I can’t see the phone number,” said Lois. “Why do you need the phone number?” “I was thinking of calling the store to say thanks for this dozen roses you sold me.” “Hang on., said Axl. “How many of those cards would you like?” Lois pulled up Gladdie’s driveway less than five minutes later. Ashley met her at the door. “Gladdie’s asleep just now,” she said. Lois said she didn’t want to wake her and asked Ashley if she would mind finding a vase for the flowers. Afterward, the pair chatted on the porch. “How is Gladdie feeling?” “Good, I think, most of the time. She gets pretty tired some days. I think it might have something to do with her pills.” “How are you holding up?” asked Lois. “I’m fine. Happy to be here and get to listen to all of Glad’s stories.” “A lot of us who know her well are happy you’re here to do the listening and help her out. We all owe you a big debt of gratitude, Ashley. There aren’t many young folks your age who’d do this sort of thing anymore.” Ashley said she had something up her sleeve and asked if she could run it by Lois. Lois said by all means, then listened to Ashley’s plan to have a surprise picnic party for Gladdie’s 100th birthday. She said Doug McLeod was the only other person who knew about it, and maybe her mom, and he said it would be a good idea to get Lois’ read on it. Lois said it sounded fine, but she figured Gladdie’s family probably had something planned so check with them first and don’t say anything about it to anyone else yet, especially Frank. They agreed to talk about it again after Ashley spoke to the family. ttt By the end of the week, Kenneth reckoned his probation period with Delta must be over. He called to ask if her if he could come to see her. Delta said he was jumping the gun by a couple of days but if he thought he was ready, they might as well get on with it. She was sitting in the old porch swing when he arrived mid-morning on Friday. “Good morning, Delta. Let me start by saying how much I’ve missed you.” “Oh, let’s not, shall we?” She motioned to one of Woodshed Chronicles BOB COLLINS“And here’s my problem with that. Less than a month ago you were all set to pack me up lock, stock and barrel and move to the city with you. That’s a non-starter for me, and the fact you’d even try it makes me wonder if you know anything at all about who I really am. Or even care, for that matter. We don’t really have anything in common. The first day you met me, I was towing a trailer full of horses that should have been a clue, don’t you think?” “Of course, I know you like the horses. That’s something we have in common.” “We have horses in common? You wouldn’t know a fetlock from a forelock, Kenneth. You don’t know the first thing about horses.” “I own one,” he said defensively. “You own a horse?” “Yes.” “What’s your horse’s name?” “The Duke of Connaught.” “Really? And where is The Duke?” “He’s boarded at Pullman’s place.” Delta’s eyebrows knit as she tried to remember any such horse at Newt’s. “Surely you don’t mean old Rocket?” “His real name is The Duke of Connaught and he’s not that old.” “Just how old is he, do you suppose he is?” “Seventeen.” “More like twice 17, I think. How is it you came by this Duke of Connaught?” said Delta. “I bought him for Ashley for Christmas a few years ago. She wanted a horse for dressage, and he came highly recommended. I paid a fancy price for him.” “I believe that,” said Delta. “Why does Ashley have another horse at Fitzpatrick’s place?” “Her grandmother bought that one for her and Ashley didn’t want to hurt her feelings, so she gave the Duke back to me.” “Have you ever ridden him? Dressage?” “No, but I could. I mean I would if you wanted me to.” “Maybe we could go for a trail ride together then?” “Sure, trail ride, dressage ride – it all sounds fine. Whatever you like.” Delta wore a bemused smile. “I must say Kenneth, I am intrigued. What do you say we get together at Newt’s one afternoon and tack the Duke up so you can do a few laps around one of the fields and knock some of the rust off him?” “Sure…okay,” said Kenneth. ... to be continued Thousands of BC farmers and ranchers turn to Country Life in BC every month to nd out what (and who!) is making news in BC agriculture and how it may affect their farms and agri-businesses! www.countrylifeinbc.com/subscribeCREDIT CARD # _________________________________________________________________ EXP _____________ CVV _____________ o NEW o RENEWAL | o ONE YEAR ($18.90) oT WO YEARS ($33.60) o THREE YEARS ($37.80) Your Name _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________ City __________________________________________ Postal Code ________________ Phone _________________________ Email ________________________________________ MAIL TO: 36 DALE RD, ENDERBY, BC V0E 1V4 subscriptions@ countrylifeinbc.com Please send a _______ year gift subscription to ______________________________________________________________ Farm Name ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________________________________ City _________________________________________________ Postal Code ________ ______________________________ Phone _________________________ Email _______________________________________________________________
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 37Helping you grow your business.HelpingrowbusOkanagan berry venture is a family affairKids keep dad's farming passion alive while looking aheadThe Bhatia siblings – Monika, Rony and Navjot, joined here by a friend of Navjot’s (far right) – market their Okanagan-grown blueberries at the Kelowna and Vernon farmers markets. | MYRNA STARK LEADER MYRNA STARK LEADER LAKE COUNTRY – Some farm successions are a matter of necessity rather than choice. When their father Kashmiri Bhatia died unexpectedly at 47 this spring, siblings Monika Bhatia, 20, and her brother Sharan (Rony), 16, stepped up to take six-year-old Bhatia Farms forward. “As a kid, my dad would teach me every single thing about farming,” says Monika, who enters her nal year of business at Okanagan College this fall. “Now, we want to carry his dream out and keep the family business going.” The farm currently leases three acres in Lake Country from Rick and Claire Pallen, planted mostly to ve varieties of blueberries, along with some cherries. It leases a second parcel of 2.6 acres nearby. “When Dad came to Canada in 2002, his education didn’t easily transfer so he went back to farming, learned from his father,” Bhatia explains. “Over the years, he leased land, planting many dierent things and we went all over the Okanagan. As leases expired, he’d move on, trying new crops.” Kashmiri previously had a vegetable farm on another leased property in Kelowna’s Rutland neighbourhood but saw an opportunity to grow blueberries and ll a gap in the local market. Together with his wife Geeta and his four kids, including Simran, now 19, and Navjot, 15, the family secured the parcel in Lake Country in 2018. They installed deer fencing and irrigation lines necessary to grow and protect their crop. “All of us carried pipes and were in the trenches working. We stayed until 10 at night, until it got dark, using ashlights on our phones,” Bhatia recalls, standing among the maturing Elliott, Duke, Bluecrop, Patriot and Patrecia plants. “It seems a bit crazy to think about how we did that now, but he was committed to the idea.” The farm also grows corn for early-season cash ow and pumpkins for fall sale. While it hasn’t been easy guring out everything it takes to run the farm, they’re grateful for support from neighbours, the Pallens and extended family. Their uncle and grandfather came from India to help hand-harvest fruit between 5am and 1pm daily. “The crop has been pretty good this year and the farmers market managers have been super kind to us,” says Bhatia, who together with Rony and her siblings sell the produce at markets in Kelowna and Vernon. As they move forward, she’s trying to focus on the business side of the farm, and is considering writing a business plan. With increased berry production, Bhatia Farms is considering adding the Lake Country farmers market to its sales plan, but the family is also wrestling with logistics since only a couple of members drive. Consumer response is also Across North America, Little & Large, Local & Long, Port to Dealer, Farm to Farm and anything in between.Call or email Dave for freight solutions.Versatile Ramp -to- Ground capabilityan issue. Some market-goers complain about the price, expecting local fruit to be cheaper, while others shun their crop for another reason. “Some people have organic stuck in their head, and they look down upon our product, but they aren’t educated about what it takes to grow a crop or the real cost in dollars and time for small farms like ours to be certied organic,” Bhatia says. “I try to explain that we’re not organic because we need products to combat leaf rollers, for example, and that everything we use is bought locally, products tested and certied by the government as safe.” The farm has yet to generate enough prot to support the family on its own. “A lot of people think it's so easy. You plant a tree. You grow it and boom, money comes but there are lots of costs – the land, inputs. We're seeing some prot but it's not massive and most of the prot will be used for next year’s crop. This is more like a 10-year plan,” Bhatia says. Going into Grade 11 this fall, her brother Rony is the lead crop manager. July’s heat wave was a challenge, partly because they live about 30 minutes away from their properties “We have nine sections of irrigation,” says Rony. “When it was hot in July, the clock on the irrigation didn’t show that it hadn’t been working. I xed it right away when I gured it out, but some of the plants were burned.” Despite the challenges, the family is thinking about putting in a peach nursery next year. “There are pros and cons for every business,” says Monika. “But my favourite part about this business is when I come here. There’s peace of mind. You see a beautiful lake, the view and the fresh air and you know, it's good for the body and soul to be outside and working.” COMPACT & POWERFULVAN DER WAL EQUIPMENT (1989) LTD. 23390 RIVER ROAD, MAPLE RIDGE, BC V2W 1B6 604/463-3681 | vanderwaleq.com T5522 TELEHANDLER • Vertical lift system • Three types of steering for flexibility • Raised cab for optimal visibility • High hydraulic performance
38 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCEven though January is the beginning of the calendar year, September is the beginning of the school year, of a new season and of all sorts of courses and activities – and it marks the end of summer. That makes it an exciting and hopeful month as we look forward to so many new events and activities, new friends and colleagues, new schedules and habits, along with cooler weather that’s conducive to being more physically active. It’s likely to leave us with a craving for a dierent and more substantial sort of food. September 22 marks the ocial beginning of autumn, with the end of these longer hours of light than dark and the start of that long slide to the shortest day of the year in December. It’s also one of the most inspiring times of the year for those who love to cook, with the harvest of all our eorts and those of our farm neighbours to tempt us to try new dishes. There’s a good reason the cornucopia (or horn of plenty) is the symbol of harvest time, when a plethora of various colours of fruit and vegetables, in all shapes and sizes. So, I wondered what it would be like to make a mini Shepherd’s Pie that the kids Feeding fall’s new beginningsSkip the pastry and dress up potato skins as mini shepherd's pies. | JUDIE STEEVESJude’s Kitchen JUDIE STEEVESDRIED FRUIT & NUT BARS1/2 c. (125 ml) dried fruits 1/3 c. (75 ml) dried cranberries 1/2 c. (125 ml) whole wheat our 1/3 c. (75 ml) white our 1/4 c. (60 ml) rolled oats 1/2 c. (125 ml) brown sugar 1 tsp. (5 ml) baking soda 1/4 tsp. (1 ml) salt 1/2 c. (125 ml) pecan pieces 1/2 c. (125 ml) almonds 3/4 c. (175 ml) plain yogurt 1 egg 2 tbsp. (30 ml) oil • Pre-heat oven to 350° F. • Thoroughly mix fruits such as nely chopped dried apricots, dates, pineapple, mango or ginger with dried cranberries and all the dry ingredients. • Toast almonds and chop coarsely, along with pecans. Add to dry ingredients. • Use a whisk to beat egg and oil into fat-free plain yogurt. • Combine wet and dry ingredients with a few quick strokes, just until combined, then spread into an eight-inch square cake pan which has been sprayed with cooking oil or lightly greased. • Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. • Cut into squares. Makes about a dozen. (I wrapped each in lm and froze half for later. They freeze beautifully.) These aren’t very sweet, but each bite is punctuated with the sweetness of a piece of fruit, contrasted with a crunchy bite of nut, and they’re very satisfying. Nutritionally, they’re a great pick-me-up on the trail or in the lunch kit.MINI SHEPHERD’S PIES IN POTATO SKINS2 large baking potatoes (Russets) 1/4 c. (60 ml) cheddar cheese, grated 1 tbsp. (15 ml) minced fresh parsley pat of butter drop of milk, optional ground pepper • Prepare the potato shells by scrubbing each potato well, pricking each all over with a fork and baking them in a 400° F oven for about an hour. You may take a shortcut by baking them in the microwave, but be sure to pierce the skin with a fork or they will burst. Remove and cool enough to cut in half, lengthwise, to form a canoe-like container. Carefully, remove the pulp of each potato, leaving a quarter-inch shell inside the peel. In a bowl, mash the potato pulp with a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper, fresh minced parsley and a pat of butter, adding a little milk if you like them creamier. You may wish to add the grated cheddar to the mash, or you could sprinkle it on top at the end. • In a deep frypan, brown the ground meat over medium heat, stirring occasionally. • Meanwhile, chop onion, carrots and celery. Finely dice peppers. Mince garlic, ginger, rosemary and oregano. • Push meat to the side of the pan, or set aside; add a drizzle of oil to the pan to sauté the onions. Add the other vegetables, garlic, ginger and herbs and stir occasionally until they’re all a bit soft and well-mixed. • Return the meat to the mix and add the liquids, mixing well and bringing it all to a bubble, reducing the liquid to just moist, not runny. • Arrange potato shells on a baking sheet. Divide beef lling between the potato shells, top with a spoonful of mashed potatoes and a sprinkle of grated cheddar cheese. • Finish in a 400° F oven until the potatoes are beginning to brown, 15-20 minutes. You may choose to add more vegetables to the lling, such as corn and peas. It’s all fair game.would be intrigued with: a whole meal in a potato skin! And, there are lots of ne spuds around at this time of year. An Irish friend always used to bake potatoes prior to the rst day of hunting season so he could carry a warm one around in his pocket to keep his ngers from freezing, and it was all ready to snack on when he was in need of a pick-me-up. Nowadays, we’re more likely to have a commercial ‘snack bar’ with lots of sugar and carbs in it, but I’m not at all sure we’re better o for our modern choice. If you have lots of fresh fruit – though that might not be happening this year – try drying some to make snack bars throughout the winter when fresh fruit comes from a continent away – or buy dried fruit for a healthier hit of sweet in home-made snack bars. Another healthy snack is nuts and the two together taste pretty good. Healthy, portable snacks are vital when rushing from one activity to another. Enjoy the colours and cooler weather of fall, along Filling: 1/2 lb. (224 g) lean ground beef drizzle of oil 1 small onion 1 carrot 1 celery stalk 1/4 red pepper 1 jalapeno pepper 1 garlic clove 1 tsp. (5 ml) fresh ginger 1/2 tsp. (2 ml) fresh rosemary 1/2 tsp. (2 ml) fresh oregano 1/4 tsp. (1 ml) black pepper 1/4 tsp. (1 ml) seasoning salt 1/4 c. (60 ml) beef stock 1/4 c. (60 ml) dry red wine 2 tsp. (10 ml) Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. (5 ml) hot sauce
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC SEPTEMBER 2024 | 39TRACTORS/EQUIPMENTREAL ESTATEFOR SALEFOR SALEHAYBERRIESIRRIGATIONCOLD STORAGEFLORISTFor Tissue Culture Derived Plants of New Varieties of Haskaps, Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Saskatoon Berries and Sour Cherries, Please Contact:DISEASE FREE PLANTING STOCK OF NEW BERRY CROPS 4290 Wallace Hill Road, Kelowna, BC, V1W 4B6info@agriforestbiotech.com250.764.2224www.agriforestbiotech.com NEW POLYETHYLENE TANKS of all shapes & sizes for septic and water storage. Ideal for irrigation, hydropon-ics, washdown, lazy wells, rain water, truck box, fertizilizer mixing & spray-ing. Call 1-800-661-4473 for closest distributor. Manufactured in Delta by Premier Plastics premierplastics.com DON GILOWSKI 250-260-0828 Royal LePage Downtown Realty Ltd BUYING OR SELLING OKANAGAN FARM, RANCH OR ACREAGE? COURTENAY HEREFORDS. Cattle for Sale: yearling bulls and bred heifers. John 250/334-3252 or Johnny 250-218-2537.PYESTERDAY’S TRADITION - TODAY’S TECHNOLOGYMANAGERS Phil Brown 250-293-6857 Catherine Brown 250-293-6858 ccr.princeton@gmail.com www.coppercreekranch.com PRINCETON, BC Raising registered polled & horned Herefords & F1s. BREEDING BULLS FOR SALE.LIVESTOCKNH BB960A 3X4 BIG BALER, LOCAL UNIT, RECOND, AS NEC. $28,000 JD 315 13’ HD DISC, 21” BLADES, FRT & REAR 9,500 JD 940 12’ ROLLER HARROW, CROW FOOT FRONT, SOLID REAR 8,500 JD 3155 4WD CAB 265 LDR 105 PTO HP 42,000 JD 6300 4WD OPEN PLATFORM W/640 LDR 36,000 JD 1630 W/LDR 15,000 WANTED: TANDEM MANURE SPREADER ED DEBOER 250/838-7362 cell 250/833-6699 CURT DEBOER 250/838-9612 cell 250/804-6147CUSTOM CUTTING &BALING 3x4 BIG SQUARES SILAGE BALING/WRAPPING ED DEBOER 250/833-6699 CURT DEBOER 250/804-6147EDVENTURE HAY SALES ENDERBYZcXjj`Ô\[j7Zflekipc`]\`eYZ%ZfdfiZXcc1-'+%*)/%*/(+C@E<8;J1),nfi[jfic\jj#d`e`dld(*gclj>JK#\XZ_X[[`k`feXcnfi[`j%),;@JGC8P8;J1),gclj>JKg\iZfclde`eZ_M[WYY[fjcW`ehYh[Z_jYWhZi$RINIER EL 140 IN-ROW TILLER SN 17859 $8,500 Call 778-241-1665 AVAILABLE NOW Fire suppression systems, pumps, protection for farms, 2 - 1/4 mile Used Valley 2015, low hours clean, 1 - used Zimmatic 1,600 ft , Used Hose reels, 2,000 ft 12 in 25,000ft 10 in HDPE, 10,000 ft used steel pipe in all sizes. "New" Pierce Pivots, T.L Pivots, lease available , New Hose reels RM Brand, Idrio, Diesel Pumps, End centrifugal pumps, submersible pumps, freq drives, Pump stations, plug and play water treatment systems, 30 years experience. Talk to Brock @ Dynamic Irrigation Kamloops 250 319 3044FEEDERS & PANELS that maintain their value!ROUND BALE FEEDERS BIG SQUARE BALE FEEDERS FENCE PANELS CATTLE & HORSE FEEDERSHEAVY DUTY OIL FIELD PIPE CRADLE FEEDERS. Single big square or 2 round bales Outside measurement is 8 feet x 12 feet Silage bunk feeders For product pictures, check out Double Delichte Stables on Facebook www.doubledelichtefarms.ca Dan 250/308-9218 ColdstreamLIVESTOCKDEAN SPADY, Presidentspadylivestock@gmail.comGARY WOOD, Vice Presidentsemiahmooshorthorns@shaw.caCRAIG ELACHIE SHORTHORNSPurebred Registered SHORTHORN STOCKBulls, Cows, Heifers and Calves AvailableGrant & Barbara SmithBALMORAL FARMS 250.253.0133 1802 Tappen Notch Hill Rd. Tappen, BC V0E 2X0‘Pride in Traditional Quality’PACIFIC JET OPTICAL SORTER Designed for use with blueberries or cranberries. Ready to place in a production line to reduce labour costs in sorting. Located on Vancouver Island. Asking $16,000 CALL 250-743-9464 or email svanhouwe@outlook.comUSED TRACTORS & EQUIPMENT GRINDROD, BCDeBOER’SOCTOBER DEADLINE SEPT 21$15$301976 CHEV C65 Tandem Dump Truck, Aluminum box, 427 on propane, runs good. $6,500; Manure Spreader, JOHN DEERE Model 40T, $2,600; Hay BALE SLED, bunches up approx. 40 bales, $900; HAY RAKE, 4 wheels, $700; HAY WAGON 16’6”, $800. CATTLE SQUEEZE, like new, $3,500; MF 135 tractor w/loader, $5,000. Call Shawn (604) 615-3646COLD STORAGE/COOLER SPACE • Located in Sumas Prairie • Ideal for berry, fruit and vegetable storage • 4500sqft & 9000sqft coolers available • Loading dock, Power Pallet Jack, 24hr access • Brand new cooling equipment • Available June-November • Pricing depending on usage CALL OR TEXT MARCUS 604-308-9803BOOK YOUR MARKETPLACE AD BY SEPTEMBER 21 Top DORPER RAM LAMBS ready to go for sale. Bryan, call or text 250-706-7077 For ALL your FLOWER NEEDS!Locally owned, serving the Lower MainlandBUCKETS FLOWERS604-870-2994abbotsfordflorist.comcall for20%OFFOffering Grass Fed GeneticsJerseys, Lowline Angus, and commercial cattle.Contact Melanie 250-793-4742www.butterkupfarms.comREGISTERED TEXEL AND CANADIAN ARCOTT RAM LAMBSREGISTERED OR COMMERCIAL EWE LAMBSALBERT & DENA FINLAY 250-546-6223finlaysfarm@gmail.com www.finlayfarm.comHELPINGYOU GROW YOURBUSINESScountrylifeinbc.comADVERTISING THAT WORKS
40 | SEPTEMBER 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCAVENUE MACHINERY Abbotsford 604-864-2665 Kelowna 250-769-8700 Vernon 250-545-3355VISIT YOUR LOCAL KUBOTA DEALER TODAY.DOUGLAS LAKE EQUIPMENT Dawson Creek 250-782-5281 Kamloops 250-851-2044 Surrey 604-576-7506GERARD’S EQUIPMENT LTD. Oliver 250-498-2524HUBER FARM EQUIPMENT Prince George 250-560-5431 Smithers 250-847-3610ISLAND TRACTOR & SUPPLY Courtenay 250-334-0801Duncan 250-746-1755KEMLEE EQUIP LTD Cranbrook 250-489-5337 Creston 250-428-2254Hard work doesn’t have to be hard on you. With the Kubota SSV Series, you get superior driver comfort and with either smooth Pilot Control or traditional Hand and Foot controls it meets either operator preference. The Kubota Tier IV Diesel engine boasts the power you need to move large charges with ease, with the compact versatility to take on jobs in tight spots. With a wide range of attachments and a minimum of maintenance, you can stay focused on what’s important: your work in progress.BUILT FOR THOSE WHO DO IN B.C.